Could It Be Love?
by kratos lover1
Summary: This is a mini story from A Storm Was Brewing in Cruxis. The inside story of how Storm and Zelos' relationship bloomed over the course of the journey. Angst, romance, and humor inside.
1. Chapter 1: New Acquaintances

Well, I decided to write this story along with my Dark Age series. This story kind of goes back in time when the Journey of Regeneration was going on. This is a story about how Storm and Zelos met, and how their relationship bloomed over the course of the journey. This has humor, angst, and a romance that builds up over time. It may not always be apparent, but it's there. Anyway, I hope you like it. I'll be writing for this one less often than my other story, but when I get an idea for this one I'll write. Well, enjoy!

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Chapter 1: New Acquaintances

Storm couldn't believe it. Even after Kratos had betrayed the group and Colette lost her soul she still somehow managed to stay with Lloyd's group. She tried to make herself believe that she wasn't thrilled about it, but the opportunity to stay with them even a little bit longer made her feel good. Of course, when she thought about what was eventually destined to come about she lost her joy. Colette would become Martel's vessel whether Storm cared about the blonde or not. In reality, Storm didn't really like Colette that much, but she did care about Lloyd's feelings. But, reviving Martel would be better for him too...wouldn't it?

Storm had to push aside all of her questions and conflicts to focus on what was going on now. They were in Tethe'alla. Storm definitely never thought that she'd end up there. Just the thought of the entire group making it to the alternate world blew her mind. Not only that, but they were heading to Meltokio.

Storm had always heard Yuan complaining to Lord Yggdrasil complaining about having to go to Meltokio for some sort of mission, but she couldn't remember exactly what it was. She did remember that whatever he had to go there for bothered him to no end.

_'What could possibly be wrong with such a beautiful city?' Storm wondered as she looked at all the wonderful buildings spread all over the city. _

Storm was pretty sure that it wasn't the city itself that Yuan hated so much about this place, but rather something in it. But what?

Everyone was walking through the magnificent town when suddenly a dog walked up to Colette.

"Hey look a dog," Genis said as he pointed at the adorable dog that stood in front of the Chosen. Coeltte took one look at the dog before violently kicking it in another direction.

"Didn't see that coming...," Storm said dryly before continuing on towards the castle.

"And she'd always liked dogs," Lloyd said sadly as he watched Colette and the others follow Storm.

Before the group managed to actually make it to the castle, they saw another group moving towards them. This group was led by a young man with long and wild red hair. He was followed by a small hoard of beautiful women. Colette walked right up to the man with her angel wings spread out for them all to see.

"Oooo...who are you my cute little angel?" the man said as he casually walked up to Colette. Colette stayed completely silent, staring right through the man with no emotion on her face.

"What nerve! Master Zelos was kind enough to speak to you and all you do is stare at him. I mean, how dumb are you? Walking around with angel wings on and it's not even Halloween," one of the girls said rudely to an uncaring Colette.

"Hey, don't talk to her like that," Lloyd yelled back defensively.

"Now, now let's not fight. I bet you look real cute when you smile my cute little angel," he said as he walked closer, attempting to touch the emotionless blonde. Colette, in response, grabbed him roughly by the arm before throwing him across the plaza. The young red head; however, managed to land on his feet as he stared wide eyed at Colette.

"Woah, I definitely wasn't planning on that," the red head said, his voice a little shaky.

"Master Zelos are you okay?" a few of the women shrieked after witnessing his attack.

"I'm fine, just a little surprised. You're pretty strong there little one," the man said before walking back over to get a glimpse at the other female bodies present in the group. "And who are you sexy?" he asked as he walked over to Storm who raised an eyebrow at him.

"Do you want to get thrown farther and have my sword stuck somewhere in you?" Storm asked him threateningly before the red head backed off after receiving the intimidating glare that followed the comment.

"You kind of remind me of someone else I know," he laughed as he walked over to Raine. "And who are you beautiful," he asked her, trying a different approach on the half-elf.

"Give me your name, and I'll give you mine," Raine demanded stubbornly.

"Isn't that usually Lloyd's line?" Genis asked, shocked at his sister's remarks.

"You know, it does sound kind of arrogant," Lloyd said after thinking it over for a second, making a mental note not to use the saying anymore.

"You've never heard of me?" the young man asked, shocked. "My name is Zelos Wilder, you'll get to know it soon enough," Zelos informed them before heading off with his women close behind him.

_'Zelos...I got it now!' Storm thought before looking to the rest of the group._

"What an ass. Did you see that cheesy grin he had on the whole time?" Genis said as soon as he was out of hearing range.

"He has an exsphere," Raine commented. Lloyd looked at her with a look of shock and understanding on his face.

"So that's how he was able to move so quickly," he concluded.

"Well, I say that we hurry up and get to this castle," Storm reminded the rest of the group as they all agreed, heading towards the castle once again.

_'No wonder Yuan hated coming here so much. He was in charge of making sure that this idiot Chosen was doing okay. I feel sorry for what he must have gone through on these missions. Oh well, at least Lord Yggdrasil didn't send out a female,' she thought as she looked back, watching Zelos walk out of sight._

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Well, that's it for the first chapter. Like I said, I don't know how often it will be updated, but there you go. I hope you liked it. Please review and tell me what you thought. Thanks! 


	2. Chapter 2: A New, Perverted Companion

Okay, well here's the next chapter of this new story. I really hope that everyone's enjoying it. I've kind of had this idea floating around in my head for awhile so I hope that it was a good idea. Anyway, thank you to all of those who reviewed, I really appreciate it. Thanks and enjoy the next chapter.

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Chapter 2: A New, Perverted Companion

After being forced to travel to Sybak under the watch of Zelos Wilder, the group headed out of Meltokio. Of course, the watchful eyes of Zelos were a little too watchful when it came to all the actions of the females in his new group. They all hoped that they would be able to find a cure for her new condition in the famous city. Of course, Storm wasn't too thrilled about the new man who was in charge. Zelos must have figured that since he was the one who had to keep tabs on them, that he was really in charge. Storm knew one thing for sure; she wasn't going to let him boss her around, she wouldn't have it.

While the group was making their way along the long Tethe'alla Bridge Zelos decided to bring up something that had been plaguing his mind since they left.

"I'm going to come up with nicknames for everyone!" he shouted enthusiastically.

"Why in the world would we need nicknames?" Storm asked her irritation rising.

"Because it'll be fun!" he replied as he shot her one of his classic, cheesy grins. Storm rolled her eyes at him once her turned around to begin his nicknaming.

"You'll be called Little Angel," Zelos said as he went up to Colette. "You're my Little Rosebud," he continued as he went along to one of their newer compainions, a young girl named Presea from Ozette. "And you can be the Sexy Swordswoman," he smiled at Storm. Storm glared at him before giving him her reply.

"You call me that and I'll throw you into the next solid surface. And believe me, I do know how to use this sword, and quite well I might add," she said through clenched teeth as she stared him in the face.

"Okay...how about...," Zelos began as if she hadn't threatened him.

"My name is Storm thank you very much," she answered for him.

"The Wild Storm...sounds pretty hot to me," he laughed as he moved onto Raine. Storm sighed, knowing she wasn't going to get anywhere with him. "And you can be the Super Ultra Cool Beauty," he said as he stared wildly at Raine.

"I don't want to be called that," Raine protested.

"The Professor's the Professor, that's it," Lloyd told Zelos, who looked at him like he had just come up with something brilliant.

"The Professor...ooo...that's sounds pretty hot and mysterious," he decided.

"Whatever...I don't care anymore," Raine sighed sadly. Storm looked over at her apathetically as they wondered what the Chosen could come up with next.

"You can all call me Mister Zelos," Zelos chuckled. "And you can be 'Hey You,'" Zelos said to Lloyd. "And you're 'Brat'," Zelos told Genis who about tackled him when he turned around, but was stopped by Lloyd.

"Well, now that that's all settled, and where would we be without that, let's continue on shall we?" Raine said finally after Zelos was finished with his little naming game.

"Fine, if we must," Zelos sighed as he followed behind the rest of the group.

When the group finally managed to get across the bridge, they entered Sybak, hoping to find a solution to their problem. Fortunately, they met with a researcher that seemed to believe that Colette could regain her soul if she could equip a Key Crest.

"Well, I can make the Key Crest if we find a partial one. I should be able to fix it and we could give it to her then," Lloyd explained to them. This led the entire group on a search around the city for a Key Crest, or at least, something that could become a Key Crest.

_'Should I really be helping to cure Colette. If she regains her soul then she'll be worthless to Lord Yggdrasil. Of course, there's no way that a simple Key Crest would be able to handle that kind of power,' _Storm thought as she rummaged through tons of junk that a man was trying desperately to sell.

"Hey what's that!" Genis shouted as he pointed to a glowing stone thrown into the middle of a junk pile.

"That's a Key Crest!" Lloyd shouted happily as he ran over to the man. "How much for that?" he asked the man.

"What this piece of junk...10,000 Gald," he replied emotionlessly. Storm rolled her eyes at him, beginning to wonder what this guy was doing with the money he actually managed to convince people to give to him for junk.

"We don't have that kind of money," Lloyd complained as he was about to fight the man for the Key Crest.

"Don't you know who I am?" Zelos asked the man as he walked between him and Lloyd before something could start. "I'm the Chosen and we really need that," he explained.

"Th...the Chosen? Here? Well, of course, take it, it's all yours," the man agreed willingly as he handed over the Key Crest to Zelos who handed to Lloyd. Lloyd and the others couldn't believe it. The perverted Chosen had actually come through for them. Of course, they'd really be impressed if he could keep it up.

While the entire group waited for Lloyd to finish working on Colette's new Key Crest, Zelos walked over and sat next to Storm. He sat next to her for awhile before she finally decided to acknowledge that he was there. She looked over at him, waiting for something to come out of his mouth.

"What is it Zelos?" she snapped at him.

_'I know exactly where this conversation will go,'_ Storm thought as she stared at Zelos waiting for something.

"Well, I was wondering, are you and Lloyd...together at all?" he asked. Storm's eyes got wide as she looked at Zelos, realizing that the conversation didn't go where she thought it would.

"No, we're just really good friends and that's it," she said, with a hint of finality in the statement that made it more believable.

"Good, that means that you're available. Well, it's not like it would have really mattered with me I guess. Just you wait hunny we'll make a sexy couple," he told her as he got up and walked away before she could hurt him. Storm, on the other hand, was stunned at his statement as her jaw was hanging open.

_'I would definitely think their was some sort of Goddess out there if we ended up together. Only a miracle could do that,'_ Storm thought as she watched Zelos walk off to begin hitting on Raine as he made his rounds to all the females in the group for the night. She could tell he was getting frustrated, he wasn't able to hook up with any of them. They weren't all swayed by stunts like his.

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Well, that's it for this chapter. I hope that you liked it. I think that Zelos is pretty funny when he's his perverted self, and he's actually quite fun to write. When you start to get into his other self, that's when it's hard. I don't think I've ever really been able to master either one of his personalities. He's one of the more difficult characters for me to use in my writing, which makes all my stories so easy to write (sarcasm there...) Well, thanks for reading and please review to tell me what you think. 


	3. Chapter 3: Peeping Tom

Okay, I figured that I should write another chapter to this story to bring a little humor back into the Storm series for the time being. You know, there isn't all that much at the moment. Oh, and this story isn't, hopefully, going to be all humor. Hopefully, it will begin to get more angsty. Anyway, I hope you enjoy and here's the next chapter.

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Chapter 3: Peeping Tom

After realizing that Lloyd's newly made Key Crest wasn't going to work on Colette the group managed to convince Zelos to take them back to Sylverant to gain the aid of Dirk. Of course, it was only Raine and Storm that really managed to convince him. How could he say no to them? He was still trying to win them over, and it wasn't as easy as he hoped it would be.

Unfortunately, the Papal Knights heard what Zelos said as well and they accused him of treason against Tethe'alla and the king. Everyone was forced to take a blood test to see what race they were, revealing that Raine and Genis were half-elves. Storm's test came up as abnormal, revealing no clear race. She looked the most like a human so they decided to let her go. Zelos looked over at Storm strangely when her test came up. He could see the feelings that had been buried rise to her surface before quickly disappearing as fast as they appeared.

Raine and Genis were taken away to be executed while the rest of the group was thrown into one of the labs in the basement run by a couple of half-elves. Before they knew it they were escaping to save their friends, with help from Sheena who returned just in time.

The group had to crawl out of a tunnel to get back to the surface from the prison. On the way up, Storm was offered a helpful boost from none other than Zelos.

"Here, let me help you up my sexy hunny," Zelos said as he held out his hand. Storm looked at him suspiciously before taking his hand as he gave her a boost up the small space. Storm was impressed, he wasn't doing anything perverted, but rather, was being very gentlemanlike. She didn't know what to think.

Suddenly, her hopes were all lost as she felt Zelos groping her down below.

"Zelos you pervert, get off of me before I come down there and beat you," Storm screamed at him from above.

"Sorry, my hand slipped," Zelos explained, she could see the smile on his face in her mind as she kicked at him with her foot. "Ow...that wasn't very nice...I was trying to be helpful," Zelos complained after his head made contact with her foot.

"Yeah right...stupid Chosen," Storm muttered as she lifted herself out of the basement laboratory.

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After the group had managed to rescue Genis and Raine from their fateful end, they decided to set up camp for the night. The others in the group all sat around the fire as they waited for dinner to get ready. Storm was still going over what the Papal Knights had discovered about her earlier. She was still having a hard time coping with the fact that she didn't match for human, elf, or half-elf. What was she then? Where did she belong? Her thoughts were interrupted as Zelos sat down next to her.

She was hiding something and he knew it. He wanted to find out because the two of them seemed to both be dealing with something that the others just wouldn't understand. Would she understand him? No one else ever did. Of course, no one else every tried to understand him. He looked into her eyes, trying to search through her. She was beautiful in the moonlight with the glow from the fire lighting up her face slightly. He wished that he could be someone else than what he'd already made himself out to be. He didn't want to be the perverted Chosen all the time. But, he wouldn't be able to hide his darker feelings without that mask. But...maybe he could try a little compassion...just for her.

"Are the results from the blood test bothering you?" he asked her, seeing what was bothering her, but not knowing why.

"No, why would that be bothering me? It's not my fault that their tests are messed up," Storm replied defensively. Zelos cocked an eyebrow at this comment, knowing that he'd found the problem from her touchy reply.

"Storm, those tests are never wrong. There's something that's bothering you," he told her. Storm considered what he was saying for a moment, then snapped out of it after remembering who she was talking to exactly. She knew that he was using this conversation as some sort of weird pick-up line or something. She looked around to give him a piece of her mind when she looked at him for the first time since the conversation started.

His eyes, the were shining from the mixture of moonlight and firelight, but there was also a hidden pain behind them. Zelos was hiding something. He wasn't as happy and carefree as he pretended to be, but she didn't know what it was exactly that was bothering. She assumed that he was probably as stubborn as she was and wouldn't tell her anything about what he was hiding. She had to admit, when she looked at him, he was very handsome. She shook the sudden thought out of her mind, not wanting to get close to the Chosen, or anyone in the group for that matter.

"Well, it doesn't matter because I know that I'm in fact a human. My father was and my mother was. That's a fact and you can't tell me any different. Besides, there's a first time for everything, right?" she said as she got up and went over to the others for dinner.

"Yes...there is a first time for everything," Zelos said quietly as he got up and followed Storm back over to the others. He figured that he'd have to do something more like himself to make up for that moment that he'd just had.

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Later that night Storm was getting ready to take a bath in the nearby river. It had been far too long since they had a place to bathe, and she didn't want to be as smelly as the men in the group so she went off to bathe in privacy.

Storm removed her clothes and left them on the bank with her towel as she waded into the river. She sank down into the water, covering everything but her head. She sighed as she began to let her mind wander on what had been going on the last couple of days. Things seemed to be moving so fast, and she wasn't sure where she fit in the whole scheme of things.

Suddenly, Storm heard a snap that sounded like a twig. She sat up a little and began to look around. After listening and not hearing anything else she decided to sit back into the water. She heard a few more rustles a few seconds later, but decided not to react, hoping to draw whatever it was closer until she could see it. Soon, her wish was granted when she saw a shadow in the distance spying on her. She knew exactly who it was and he was going to die. Storm jumped out of the river and ran over to where her towel and clothes were. She wrapped the towel around her body and grabbed her sword.

"Zelos! Get over here you stupid Chosen! You're going to wish you'd never been spying on me!" Storm screamed as she began to run in the direction he began to move. They ra straight through the camp with Zelos in front, a huge smile spread over his face, and Storm not far behind with a death glare and her sword waving high as she chased him.

"I'm gonna run you through the nearest tree and leave you there for the monsters to find!" she yelled as she ran out of the camp after him.

"Well...at least I'm not the only he spies on," Sheena said as she continued to look at the fire.

Zelos soon came back to camp as Storm went to find her clothes. Zelos sat down next to Raine and Sheena, hoping for some sympathy at his new wounds.

"Did Storm give you all of those lumps on your head?" Raine asked him.

"Yeah, but I think it would feel better with a kiss from one of my hunnies," Zelos said. Sheena and Raine both shot him their own death glares.

"Well too bad because that's what you get you Stupid Chosen!" Sheena yelled as both Raine and she beat him on the head, adding to his new lump collection.

"Oh...every other girl has been so much easier to sway. Maybe I'm losing my touch," Zelos groaned.

"You never had a touch," Sheena mumbled. They saw Storm walk by, avoiding any sort of eye contact with Zelos as she held her head up in a snobbish way while walking by him and sitting by Lloyd.

"You look at me and you'll die Zelos," she warned him as Zelos immediately put his head down in submission.

"I'm surrounded by demonic banshees," he mumbled under his breath.

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Well, that's the end of this chapter. I know it was kind of stupid, but Zelos was pretty stupid at this point in the game. I hope that you all don't mind skipping the other parts of the story, but they're all in my first story and this is about Storm and Zelos, right? Well, tell me what you thought and please review. Thanks! 


	4. Chapter 4: After the Battle

Okay, it's time for the next chapter. I really hope that everyone is enjoying this story. Personally, I think that this one is really fun to write. I think that Zelos and Storm's relationship is pretty funny, but can also hold a lot of seriousness to it. In my mind it makes a good balance. Well, I hope you enjoy!

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Chapter 4: After the Battle

Once the group finally made it to the top of the Fooji Mountains, they were caught in a trap that was waiting for them. Storm had no idea who had set up the trap, but she had some pretty good ideas. She wasn't too surprised when she saw Pronyma appear, and not too far behind her was Yuan.

_'Great...they must be here to pick up Colette...,' Storm thought sadly. She didn't want to admit that she had grown slightly attached to the young blonde._

After Colette's surprising recovery from her trance from the Cruxis Crystal, Lloyd's group began to battle a very angry Pronyma. Storm wasn't going to reject the request to battle someone like Pronyma, especially after everything she had already put her through in her short life. Storm and Lloyd were the first to get into the battle, Storm not holding anything back against the cardinal.

About half-way through the battle Storm was attacked by Pronyma's Agarasium attack. Storm was trapped in a tunnel of brightly colored mana as she felt her sides being ripped apart by the fiery energy. She tried to get her balance as she landed, but was soon thrown backwards as Pronyma used her Leonasium attack on. Storm laid stunned on the ground a few feet away from the madwoman that began to walk closer to her. Storm tried to get up, but could only watch as Pronyma drew closer to her. Storm cried out as Pronyma kicked her violently in the side, causing the young girl to curl up to hold back the pain.

Pronyma came at Storm ready for another attack, but soon let out her own cry of pain as Lloyd's sword made its way through her side. She jumped back as she held onto her wound.

"Leave her alone!" Lloyd screamed at the Desian Cardinal as he pointed his sword at her, ready for another attack. Pronyma looked at Lloyd, then back at Storm before rising into the air.

"You...you got away this time, but believe me we'll meet again soon," Pronyma warned them as she returned to the heavens. Storm slowly got up, still holding onto her side. She went to move towards Lloyd, ready for another battle with him, when she clutched her side again in pain. Raine went towards her to help.

"Storm...if you need help...," Raine offered. Storm pulled away from Raine's grip as she regained her composure, flinching slightly.

"It's nothing...," she assured the healer before going to join Lloyd who was ready to confront Yuan.

Fortunately for the group Kratos came to interrupt the battle, ordering Yuan to return to Derris Kharlan for a meeting with Lord Yggdrassil. Storm breathed out a sigh of relief, knowing that she would be able to rest.

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The group set up camp for the night at the base of the Fooji Mountains, in the middle of the surrounding forest. It wasn't a good idea for them to sleep too close to the trails at night. There were a lot of bandits wandering the trails, not to mentions all the monsters. The whole group could fight, but then they'd never get any rest. Instead they camped out in the cover of the forest. Storm was sitting close to the fire as the others were setting up their sleeping bags for the night. Storm sighed as she thought about her battle with Pronyma from earlier. She just couldn't figure out why Pronyma hated her so much. Storm had never done anything to her, at least, before the beatings began.

Storm was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't hear someone come up behind her. She was surprised when she saw Zelos sitting next to her. She looked at him, her expression changing from surprised to threatening very quickly.

"If you say anything perverted I will hurt you. I'm not in the mood," she warned him.

"I know...when are you ever in the mood?" Zelos replied, smirking a little.

"So, you don't like that Pronyma lady too much do you?" Zelos asked her suddenly.

"Well, why should I, she's our enemy. She tried to take Colette away," Storm told him.

"There's more to it than that, I can tell. You both seemed like you knew and hated each other. There's something you're hiding," Zelos informed her of his suspicion. Storm glanced around nervously, not knowing how to respond.

Suddenly, there was a large crash behind them as Lloyd unrolled his sleeping bag. He wasn't watching what he was doing too closely and managed to knock over all of the group's supplies with one swift move.

"Lloyd! Look what you did! We had it all set up so nicely and everything!" Sheena yelled at him.

"Sorry...," Lloyd sighed as he got up to clean up the mess.

When Storm and Zelos turned around to find out what all the commotion was about, Storm yelped in pain from the wound she received in her side earlier. Zelos heard her and quickly focused his gaze on her, his eyes showing a rare emotion, concern.

"You're not okay," he whispered as he moved for her side. He gently lifted her shirt up just enough to see the large gash that Pronyma had put in her side. Zelos couldn't help but feel worried about the young girl, and also angry at Pronyma for doing it to her.

"I'm fine, it's just a scratch. I've had worse," Storm told him as she moved away.

"I think that it needs to be cleaned up at least if you're not going to let Raine help," Zelos argued. He went to get his pack which had a first aid pack in it. Storm was confused to say the least about Zelos' actions and his emotions. She wondered if it was just another way for him to get her to fall for him. If it was, it wasn't going to work on her.

Zelos soon returned carrying an apple gel in his hand. After cleaning up her wound he spread the gel over it. Storm had to admit that Zelos' hands were being very gentle, and hie wasn't trying to do anything else. The apple gel helped Storm with some of the pain as it began to work on healing her wound. He took out some bandage wrap and began to wrap it around her stomach to create a good bandage to keep the wound from getting infected.

"There, good as new," Zelos told her. He looked at Storm and saw the shock in her eyes. It was then that he realized that he had let too much of the person behind his mask come through.

"Thank you...," she said softly.

"Hey, I have to keep my hunnies healthy. I still have to win you over, you can't die on me yet," he told her as he walked toward the camp where Lloyd was still trying to clean up as Sheena and Raine threatened to hurt the poor swordsman.

Later that night, Storm was called by Yggdrasil to discuss her mission. Storm knew that it would only contain bad news and she wasn't really looking forward to what he was going to tell her. Of course, if Storm would have been paying closer attention, she could have noticed that someone was following behind her, a certain red-haired swordsman.

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Well, that's it for this chapter. I actually liked the thought of that cute little scene. It made my heart feel happy. Well, I hope you all enjoyed as well. Please review and tell me what you thought. Thanks! 


	5. Chapter 5: A New Deal

Well, here I am with the latest chapter of this story. I really hope that everyone is enjoying reading this story. I think that I will be writing the story of Yuan and Storm after this fic. I never really explained how that relationship developed. Anyway, thanks for putting up with me this far and I hope that you like this chapter. Enjoy!

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Chapter 5: A New Deal

Zelos was wondering about Storm and her true intentions of being with the group. He

had already noticed that she was holding back in her fighting and that she seemed to be a little touchy about certain things that he asked her about. When he saw her run off into the forest he decided that he wanted to find out what she was hiding exactly. He followed behind her, just far enough away so she wouldn't hear him behind her.

She soon stopped in the middle of the dense forest as she pulled something out of her pocket and threw it on the ground in front of her. Zelos watched in amazement as it glowed, revealing a young man with long blonde hair. He looked to Storm who seemed to take on a different look in her eyes at the sight of him. She almost seemed as if she was afraid to do anything around him.

"Storm, I have just received the report from Pronyma," the blonde told Storm who looked down at the mention of the name. Zelos then remembered that Pronyma was the one that they had fought earlier that day, the one that had hurt Storm. Why did that bother him so much?

"Yes," Storm replied.

"Storm, I have to say that you've done well this far protecting the Chosen, despite the fact that she has returned to her normal self," the man told her.

"I'm sorry my lord, I had no idea that the Key Crest would be able to contain the power of the Cruxis Crystal," Storm apologized. It was then that Zelos figured out what theywere talking about. Storm was obviously a subordinate for this man and he wanted Colette for some reason. If Lloyd and the others knew more about this then they really needed to tell him more. It was then obvious that Pronyma, Storm, and now this man all worked together. Sotrm was working for the enemy all along! She was pretty mysterious.

"It can't and that is why I need you to return to Cruxis," the man informed her. Storm's eyes darted from the ground to her leader's eyes. She looked shocked for a split second, but immediately returned to her blank gaze before his eyes met hers.

"Why now? Don't you need me to return the Chosen?" Storm asked him, trying not to sound too desperate.

"No, I believe that she will return to us on her own. Once that Key Crest is unable to control the power of the Cruxis Crystal anymore she will begin to get very sick. The only way that they will be able to save her is to collect certain materials, one of which is a Mana fragment from Derris-Kharlan. They'll bring her right to us...and we'll be waiting," the man informed Storm. Zelos began to wonder what they were talking about exactly. Derris-Kharlan was not a familiar sounding name to him, he was feeling very left out on something.

"All right, when would you like me to come back?" Storm asked him.

"All in good time my dear, for now stay hidden. You've done a fine job so far. As a reward I will let you kill the Chosen's group when the time comes," the man told her.

Zelos stopped right there, deciding that he should head back before Storm got back. If Storm was going to kill their group he didn't want to get her mad now. He began to wonder about all the times she threatened to hurt him, would she? Maybe he needed to get in on this group before something happened to the other group. After all, he wanted to side with the strongest.

He wandered back to the camp, slipping in unnoticed and soon saw Storm follow in behind him. She still had the same blank look she'd had earlier, but it soon switched to an annoyed look when she saw Zelos looking at her.

"Now what do you want?" she asked, the irritation rising in her voice.

Zelos snapped out of his trance and looked her over. "I was just wondering how my sexy hunny was doing? Have your wounds healed?" he asked her as he checked her over up and down.

"I am _not_ your sexy hunny!" she yelled at him before giving him yet another lump on his head.

"Ow...Storm," Zelos whined as he rubbed his head.

"And keep yours eyes in line," she warned him before stomping off to bed for the night.

While he watched her walk off she could only think that he was lucky she didn't kill him yet.

* * *

The next day, the group finally made it to Meltokio. They stood at the gates and soon realized that it was not going to be so easy to get in this time.

"Now what?" Lloyd sighed as he looked at the closed doors of the city.

"Well...there is another way to get in," Zelos said. Everyone looked at the Chosen, waiting for his answer.

"How's that?" Raine asked cautiously.

"Well, at night the doors to the city close and I had to sneak back in a lot through the sewer system," Zelos explained with a small smirk forming on his face.

"Why were you out so late at night?" Colette asked innocently.

"I'll show you sometime," Zelos replied, flashing her one of his famous playboy smiles.

At this comment, Zelos received not one, but two blows to the head as both Storm and Sheena smacked him hard.

"Ow...what was that for?" he complained as he held his hand to his now pounding head.

"For being a jerk and exploiting a young child," Storm told him as she hit him one more time.

"But I was helping too," Zelos whined.

As soon as the group made it through the sewer and met the fresh air again, they headed towards the Elemental Research Laboratory that Sheena had told them all about. Once they got there they discovered that there was a way for them to travel across the large bodies of water using an EC. Soon, the group found out that they would have to wait another day before they vould make their way back to Sybak to meet back with Kate.

"Okay, so now what do we do?" Sheena asked as she looked to the others in the group, hoping for some bright ideas.

"We can all head over to mansion and spend the night there," Zelos offered with a large smile.

"Couldn't that be dangerous, we are wanted criminals after all," Raine asked.

"Don't worry about that," Zelos said.

"Yeah, you only have to worry about him peeking at you in the shower," Sheena growled. Zelos smiled just at the thought, but was soon sent into submission when she saw his reaction. She slapped him across the face. "Don't look at me with those dirty thoughts in your head," she warned him.

Zelos looked to Storm for a little help, but soon received another reply from her.

"If you play peeping tom on me again you won't be around to talk about it," she threatened.

"Man...I really have no luck with this group...," Zelos sighed. He wondered what Storm was really like when she was in the group that he had heard her talking to. Maybe he'd get another opportunity to hear her talking to them tonight. With that, he led the rest of the group towards his mansion for the night.

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Well, that's it for this chapter. Poor Zelos, he never has any luck with Storm and Sheena. If only Storm knew how things turned out, it's pretty funny. Anyway, I hope that you all enjoyed this and I hope that you review. Thanks for reading! 


	6. Chapter 6: The New Recruit

Okay, I figured that I should probably update this story. Besides, it gives everyone a chance to catch up with the other story. Anyway, thanks for all the reviews for this story. Anyway, on with the story!

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Chapter 6: The New Recruit

Zelos had just finished showing the last of his guests to their rooms when he decided to see what Storm was up to. He couldn't help himself, but he seemed to be drawn to her. She wasn't like all the other women he'd met before. She never fell for his signature playboy style, and unlike Sheena, she seemed to at least want to give him a chance at times. Not only all this, but she seemed to share the same pain of hiding behind a mask that he did. He wanted to check in on her.

He walked up to her room, but stopped when he heard someone talking to her from inside. He put his ear up against the door, soon realizing that she was talking to a man. He knew that it wasn't someone from their group and he wondered if it was someone from her secret group.

"Oh, Lord Yggdrasil wanted me to tell you that it's almost time that you leave the group. You'll have to expose yourself for who you really are," the man said, he seemed depressed about his information.

"Yeah...hey Dad?" Storm asked. Zelos stopped there, whoever she was talking to, it was her father. He didn't think that she had parents anymore, that she was like him. How did he find her and how did he get into the second story of his mansion?

"What is it?" her father asked her.

"Do you think that what Lloyd said is true? Do you think it's possible to save both worlds, save Colette, and stop discrimination?" she asked him innocently. He couldn't believe it, Storm actually believed Lloyd. There was no way that Lloyd's group would be able to stand up against this group as well as the Renegades. He was even starting to believe that the Renegades couldn't stand up to this group that Lloyd's group seemed to dread so much. Perhaps he should switch sides once again.

"I don't know, but I think it's wise to keep those questions hidden from Lord Yggdrasil, he may not like you thinking about that," the man warned her.

"Okay, maybe we can ask him someday," Storm said confidently. Zelos did love how innocent Storm seemed to be despite the fact that she was working with such a dangerous organization. He wondered how she managed to get involved with them.

Zelos adjusted himself a little so he could listen a little more comfortably. His feet managed to shuffle quietly on the floor barely making a sound, but making one none the less.

"Dad, go hide over there," Storm whispered quietly, unfortunately, Zelos had moved his ear away from the door for a split second, missing the order. He placed his ear back on the door once he was comfortable as he leaned in to hear...silence? What happened, did the man finally leave?

Suddenly, the door disappeared as Storm threw it open and Zelos fell into the room with a thud. He looked up and met Storm's angry eyes. She stared down at him, waiting for some sort of explanation. When nothing came, she decided she would have to ask him.

"So, are you spying on me again? I'm not even naked this time," Storm yelled at him angrily.

"No! Well...I mean...I was spying on you, but not like that. You see, I want to join you guys," Zelos explained himself as he got to his feet. He wanted to be sure that he could move quickly if Storm wanted to beat him.

"What are you talking about?" he could sense the anxiety in her voice. Zelos listened carefully in the room and heard the sound of some objects moving around in the closet. Someone was moving around in there, the man hadn't left yet.

"The guy you've been talking to just now, the one hidden over there," Zelos began as he pointed over to the closet, "and that guy you were talking to in the woods the other night, you all work for this Cruxis group that everyone is always talking about, right?" he asked, trying to get his stories straight.

"Oh boy," Storm sighed as Kratos emerged from his hiding place. Storm looked over towards him. "What should we do?" she asked him as she shrugged her shoulders.

"I say we contact Lord Yggdrasil," Kratos answered, not really caring what their leader wanted to do with the perverted Chosen.

"Okay," Storm said as she pulled out her holographic projector, throwing it in front of her before it glowed. Lord Yggdrasil appeared in front of the entire group.

"Yes Storm, what is it?" Yggdrasil asked, Zelos could tell that his patience was thin already.

"We have an eavesdropped who wants to join us, the Chosen of Tethe'alla," Storm said as she pointed to Zelos. Yggdrasil switched his gaze towards the red-head. Zelos looked at him nervously, beginning to wonder if this was the best idea.

"Well, let him know that he may either join us or die, I'm feeling especially kind today," Yggdrasil told Storm, not taking his eyes off Zelos.

"I think I'm going to go with the join you option," Zelos told Storm as he looked to her. "One question though," he began, looking back at Yggdrasil, "what do I get out of it?"

"You mean besides sparing your life?" Yggdrasil asked him, laughing a bit.

"Well, my life as it is now isn't really worth living, I just want a carefree life," Zelos informed him.

"You seem pretty carefree to me," Storm said under her breath.

"I'm not all I seem to be," Zelos said, looking her in the eyes. He saw the change in her eyes, he knew then that they did share a lot of the same pain. They both had to hide their true feelings from the world.

"Hmm...well we could have you keep tabs on the Chosen's group after Storm leaves. That way we can have her fighting on our side again, and we could still have a spy in the group. Okay, you watch over the Chosen's group and I'll set you free of your duties as the Chosen of Tethe'alla. Of course, you'll have to bring the Chosen's group to me and destroy them as well," Yggdrasil told him.

"Sounds good to me. Of course, anything's better than the life I'm leading now," Zelos said. Yggdrasil then turned his attention back to Storm.

"You do realize that this means you'll be returning to us soon. Not yet, but soon. Hang in there and show him the ropes. He blows our cover and you may kill him. Keep up the good work," Yggdrasil said as his image disappeared from them. Storm went over and picked her projector off the ground before looking back up at Zelos. Zelos saw as her father went to the window and pulled out a pair of blue wings. He couldn't believe it, there was a lot more to this group than he thought. He watched as he flew into the night sky. He then remembered where he had seen that man before, his name was Kratos and he was definitely an enemy of Lloyd's group from what he'd heard. Whenever he'd asked about the man after they met him at the Fooji Mountains, everyone always acted like it was such a touchy subject. He never asked much though.

"All right, now we get to work together!" Zelos said happily as he looked eagerly at Storm.

"First thing, don't ever do that again. Second, you'll only associate with Lord Yggdrasil when he speaks to you. Don't screw this up, I don't want to have to kill you," she told him.

"Now, get out of my room!" she said as she shoved him out.

"Goodnight my hunny," he said as she slammed the door in his face.

He couldn't help himself, he was just drawn to her.

* * *

Well, that's it for this chapter. I really hope that you liked it. My take on Zelos' point of view as he joined Cruxis. I hope it was satisfactory. Well, tell me what you think and please review. Thanks! 


	7. Chapter 7: Side Trip to Mizuho

Okay, it's definitely time to update this story. Okay, this is the part that I kind of skipped over in the first story. There will be a lot of that in this story. I want to go over some of the stuff that got passed up. So, enjoy this and I hope you like it.

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Chapter 7: Side Trip to Mizuho

Storm and the others had recently discovered that to help Presea be freed from her Cruxis Crystal they would have to take her to a dwarf named Altessa who helped with the project. Storm wasn't so sure if she could tag along with this trip. She had gone on a few visits with Lord Yggdrasil when she was younger to check on the strange doll that he had built. That doll Tabitha always freaked her out when she was younger and after seeing Lord Yggdrasil's reactions to it, she didn't grow to like it either.

Storm snapped away from her thoughts when the group reached the Gonarrachia Forest. She looked at the entrance to the dark and twisted woods. She wasn't sure what the expression on her face was reading, but she knew that it wasn't what Zelos was thinking.

"Don't worry, I won't let anything happen to you my hunny," he said as he grabbed her hand. Storm wasn't sure if he was trying to comfort her, or if he was attempting to keep her from hitting him, but she whipped around her other hand and slapped him.

"I don't need your protection, and I'm not scared," she said as she yanked her other hand away from him and walked ahead in a huff.

"But...we should have a buddy system!" he yelled as he ran after her into the darkness.

Storm snapped around and looked at him with a mischievous smile on her face. "Fine...," she said softly yet with a strong hint of agitation in her voice. She turned around to make an announcement to the others.

"It is really dark in here and I think Zelos' idea for a buddy system is a good idea," she announced before looking back at Zelos at the last part.

"Really!" Zelos asked her in surprise. He never actually thought that she'd agree with him on his comment, but if she wanted to, he wouldn't disagree.

"I want Sheena to be my buddy," she finished before running over to Sheena who smiled happily at her friend.

Zelos' jaw dropped, he couldn't believe that she had blown him off in front of everyone. They all knew what she was up to, except maybe for Lloyd and Colette who were a little oblivious to the whole situation, and Presea who didn't really show much emotion.

"Okay, I'll go with Genis," Raine announced as Genis obediently walked beside his sister. Zelos knew that he was out on three of the women already, but there were still two more.

"Presea and I can be buddies!" Colette said happily as she clapped her hands together before running over to her.

"Why can't I choose who I want to be with?" Zelos said in a whiny voice. "Help me out a little here Lloyd," he pleaded with the swordsman, hoping he was as upset with the results.

"It's okay Zelos, we can be buddies," Lloyd said as he came over to the red-head. Zelos dropped his head to look at the ground sadly.

"Lloyd, you're so oblivious," Zelos sighed before surrendering to the group before Sheena and Storm decided to gang up on him.

As the group continued through the forest they were suddenly stopped when a man dropped in front of them. They all stared at him, realizing that he was the prisoner that they had met in the sewers. He kept saying he wanted to talk to Presea, but she didn't seem like she wanted anything to do with him. The others in the group knew that they'd have to fight him if they wanted to get any of the questions about him solved.

Storm figured that the man couldn't be too hard to beat, he had a pair of handcuffs on which allowed her to believe that he wouldn't be able to move or defend too well. Unfortunately, when Storm ran at him and jumped to attack him with her sword she had underestimated his strength and skill. The rest of the group learned quickly as they watched Storm get stopped in mid-air as the man kicked her in the stomach. She landed on the ground with a thud and groaned as she laid on the ground, struggling to get back up.

Lloyd came in and tried to attack him on the ground, but was having to defend himself against the man's skillful kicks. Lloyd could barely keep up with his movements and decided to allow someone else to get the first attack in. His wish was granted as Genis released his Spread attack against the man, knocking him off his feet.

Presea and Lloyd used this opportunity to come at him, giving him everything they had until the man finally collapsed from exhaustion.

They all stared at the fallen man before Colette informed them all that she could hear footsteps of the Papal Knights coming closer. They decided to wait to ask the man questions until he woke up.

"We can go to Mizuho until the Knights pass through," Sheena offered the group as Colette easily picked the man up in one hand, ready to take him wherever they wanted to go.

"You're actually going to take us to Mizuho? No outsiders are ever allowed there," Zelos asked bewildered.

"Well, it's an emergency," Sheena told him as she began to lead the way.

Once they got in the village they found out the man's name was Regal and that he did know Presea from somewhere. They also sat down with the vice-chief of Mizuho to see if they could convince him to help them with their quest to stop Cruxis. Storm was completely inspired by Lloyd's words, but Zelos wasn't too sure. Storm had never really thought there was another way to go about helping out the two worlds, but Lloyd made her think otherwise. After Tiga agreed to help them they decided to spend the rest of the night in the village. Storm went outside the village to the field just outside to think for a little while, she didn't know that Zelos was not far behind her. Although, she guessed that he might follow her out eventually.

She sat down and a few moments later Zelos placed himself beside her quietly.

"So, why did you want to join Cruxis anyway?" she asked him curiously.

"I already explained it, I don't really have much to lose and this group seemed to hold some opportunities for me. Besides, I always side with the strongest," Zelos told her.

"Oh...," Storm sighed. "I hope you know what you're getting yourself into," she said quietly, almost to herself.

"Why, did something happen to you there? I mean, how does someone like you end up in an organization as powerful as they are?" he asked her.

"Well, I don't really want to talk about my past, but I will tell you that I've been in Cruxis since I was two. My father's been a member for a long time, and after my mother died he brought me into it," she explained.

"I see...I'm sorry about your mom. My mom died when I was a kid too," Zelos said sadly.

"I don't really remember her too much, I was pretty young. What happened to your mom?" she asked him as she looked away from the ground that she had been staring at for so long to look back up at him. She couldn't believe how sweet he was being, he hadn't tried to hit on her once. Maybe there was something more to him than met the eye...

"I don't really wanna talk about it," he told her.

"I understand," Storm replied. She didn't want to push her luck with his good behavior too much. She got back up, deciding to head back to the village.

"I'll walk back with you," Zelos offered as he got up to walk beside her.

"I really don't need any help, we already went through this," Storm shot back harshly.

"Nothing perverted this time, I promise. I just want to keep you company," he defended himself quickly before she could cause him any bodily harm.

Storm stared at him. She didn't really know how to respond to him when he wasn't being a complete lecher. She nodded silently as he walked alongside her. About halfway back Zelos felt a hand reach for his own as he gripped it gently. He smiled in the dark as he walked her back to the village. He couldn't believe how different she made him.

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Well, that's it for this chapter. I hope that it was satisfactory. Tell me what you think and please review. Thanks! Until next time! 


	8. Chapter 8: Just Friends

I really enjoy this story. I mean, I love this pairing and I really wanted to show everyone why it works between the two of them. I mean, Storm and Yuan are okay in my mind, but they'll never ever beat Storm and Zelos with me. Anyway, I hope you're enjoying this and I hope it answers some of the questions about their relationship. It wasn't explained too much in my first story and the small hints of their blooming relationship was all you guys got because I had other things in the story to concentrate on. Anyway, I hope you like this in-depth version. Enjoy the next chapter. Thanks!

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Chapter 8: Just Friends

The next morning the group decided that it was safe enough to travel back into the forest to make their way to Ozette. They had to see Altessa, and to do so they had to go through the small village. On their way there, Sheena walked up next to Storm to have a chat with her.

"So Storm, I was wondering...is there something going on between you and Zelos?" she asked her, worried that her friend would actually fall for such a perverted man.

"No! There's nothing like that going on," Storm defended herself quickly as she shot a shocked face at the summoner.

"Well...I mean...I see you guys run off alone for awhile and I just thought...," Sheena tried to begin, but kept stumbling with her words.

"No, we just go out and talk. I do think that we are at least beginning to become friends. I like talking with him, he makes me feel a lot better about what's going on," Storm informed her.

"I guess...things around here are kind of hard to deal with and stressful, but why Zelos?" she asked her.

"I don't know...I guess he's the one who reached out to me," Storm told her as she looked at Zelos who was walking near the front of the group.

"I hope he wasn't reaching out in any other ways," Sheena said, almost trying to warn her of his perverted behavior.

"Actually, he hasn't really been too perverted with me when we go out and talk. He's...well he's kind of sweet actually," Storm told her, almost shyly.

"You are falling for him!" Sheena pointed out, laughing a little at her.

"No way! I'm just more or less amazed that he's actually not being perverted. We're just friends and that's it," Storm said with a strong sense of finality in her tone.

"If you say so," Sheena laughed as she left her alone.

_'I'm not falling for Zelos. He's just a really good friend, like Lloyd. There is nothing there and I know for a fact that nothing ever will be. I don't need him running around telling me how sexy I am all the time. He's too much of a philanderer for me to fall in love with anyway,' _Storm thought to herself as she looked at Zelos before looking away really quick when Sheena turned around to smile at her.

* * *

Once the group reached Ozette they were led by Presea to her old house. They walked in and immediately sensed that something was wrong. The house reeked of death as they walked in to find the decaying body of Presea's father. They all tried desperately to get Presea to go with them to Altessa's house, anything to get her out of that house. Presea wouldn't budge though and they were forced to leave her behind. The sad part was that Presea didn't even seem to notice that her father was dead at all as she went about her routine chores in the house.

The group rested a bit at the local inn to decide what to do the next day.

"Well, we'll have to go to Altessa's. There has to be a way to break Presea free of that Cruxis Crystal. If we can help Colette then we can help Presea too," Lloyd told the group. Storm knew that if she went to Altessa's there would be a chance that he would unintentionally blow her cover. She had to figure out a way to stay behind.

"I can't leave Presea here. These villagers all seem to hate her, it would be dangerous to leave her alone in that awful house," Storm told the group.

"Well, we obviously can't get her to come along," Raine pointed out to her.

"I know, that's why I'm going to stay here with her. I'll watch over her until you all come back," Storm offered.

"If that's what you really want," Raine told her.

"Okay, so the rest of us leave tomorrow then?" Sheena asked.

Everyone agreed and they all went to their separate rooms for the night. Storm and Zelos; however, stayed out in the lobby until later that night. They both sat on the couch as they watched the flames in the fireplace.

"You know, it's kind of stupid that we can only really talk when everyone else isn't around. Why can't we be like everyone else, and be allowed to be ourselves?" Storm asked him as she looked deeper into the fire.

"Probably because no one else would understand the side of us that we hide. We're outcasts and we probably will never be accepted in society. You seem to have something thought Storm, something that makes me believe that you'll break free one day," he told her as he looked at her. Storm let a blush escape her as she saw him look at her, and it made her remember what Sheena had said earlier. She looked down at the floor before changing the subject.

"Sheena wondered if there was something going on between us. Isn't that funny?" she asked him, chuckling a little.

"Do you think there's something going on between us?" Zelos asked her excitedly, transforming back into the playboy that he became at times.

This response led to a strong smack in the head from the auburn-haired girl beside him. She looked at him angrily as he held his head in pain. "I was just curious...," he whined.

"You don't have to act perverted about it though, I know what you were thinking," she yelled at him.

"Well...is there something between us?" he asked her more cautiously while continuing to rub the back of his head.

"Well...I know that you're one of the best friends that I have in this world. I feel like I can really talk to you and that you really understand me," she said as she smiled at him. Zelos froze and looked into her eyes. No one had ever really been good friends with him. They either pretended to like him for his wealth or his title. Storm liked him for who he really was.

"You're my best friend too Storm," Zelos told her honestly as he leaned a little closer to her. They sat there, looking at each other, their faces merely inches apart from each other as the fire roared in the background. Suddenly, they snapped back as they heard the owner come out of his room to put out the fire for the night. They both looked away from each other, both realizing what almost happened, but neither wanting to say anything about it.

"I'm closing up the lobby for the night kids," the man told them as he walked over to extinguish the flames.

"We'll go upstairs then," they told him as they got up and walked back upstairs. Zelos walked Storm to her room as he opened the door for her.

"Good night," he told her as he allowed her to go inside before closing the door behind her.

"Good night, Zelos," she whispered to him before the door closed on her.

As they went to bed that night, they both wondered how the other was able to change them so much. They were both having a hard time going on with the plans they had both planned out. Something was definitely going on between the two friends.

* * *

Well, that's it for this chapter. Well, at least they're friends now, right? That's one step up. Now, we just have to get to the love thing, but that might take a little bit yet. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter and please remember to review and tell me what you thought. Thanks! 


	9. Chapter 9: The Betrayal

Well, it's time to update this story. It's kind of funny writing this story at the same time that I'm writing a Storm and Yuan fic. They're two totally different relationships, and it's a little weird writing them at the same time. Also, I thought that it would be interesting for everyone to realize exactly how old Storm is in these stories. In this one she's only 16 while Zelos is 22 I think. They get married when she's 17 (Zelos 23) and she gets pregnant at 18 (Zelos 24) and have Anna when she's 19 (Zelos 24-25). When she falls for Yuan she's only 18 and we don't really know how old he is. Anyway, that's the timeline in case you wanted to know. Anyway, here's the next chapter. Hope you enjoy it!

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Chapter 9: The Betrayal

The group was about to leave for Altessa's house and Zelos looked over at Storm who was preparing to stay. He wasn't quite sure why she wasn't going, he knew it wasn't because she actually was concerned for Presea. She wasn't usually too concerned with anyone's safety besides her own and Lord Yggdrasil's. He knew better than to believe that little lie she fed to the group.

He came up to her before everyone else was about to go. "Are you sure you don't want me to stay here with you?" he asked her as he looked into her eyes.

"I don't need your perverted little self hanging around me while I'm in this village. I think I'll be fine," Storm told him angrily as she took a step back from him.

"Aw...come on Storm it would be fun," he begged her, getting back into his playboy character for her. He could tell that she liked to argue with him like this, but that she also wanted to see his serious side at times too. Maybe he could try to balance it for her, he liked the idea of having a friend in the world. It made him feel a little less lonely. Of course, he knew that his life would run out for him soon enough and he accepted it. For the time being though, he enjoyed her company.

With his last comment Storm pushed the philanderer away playfully with a little smirk on her face. "Get out Zelos and go with them. I don't need company," she told him. Zelos willingly obeyed as he went to catch up with the group that was already making their way out of the village.

Once they made their way to Altessa's they discovered that they would have to make a Key Crest for Presea to help her. Unfortunately they needed inhibitor ore to do this. Regal suggested to go to the Toize Valley Mine. Zelos recognized Regal right away from some of the parties he'd been to. He was the president of the Lazareno Company and it didn't surprise him that he knew this kind of information.

The group had to camp out about half way to the mine for the night. Zelos was resting peacefully before he realized that Cruxis was trying to reach him. He made his way silently out of the camp and into the nearby woods to hear the news. He threw out his projector to the ground in front of him. He watched as it glowed before revealing Lord Yggdrasil. He stared at the Chosen before beginning to speak.

"The time has come for Storm to leave the group. She will be arriving tomorrow to attempt to recover the Chosen. It is alright if she is unable, but you are to stay with the group either way. You are my inside information and I need to you to tell me where they are all at and what they are doing. I have to contact Storm yet, is she with you?" he asked.

"No, she stayed behind because we were going to the dwarf Altessa's," he informed him. "She's in Ozette and we are going to the Toize Valley Mine tomorrow," he added.

"I'll let her know where the group is. Do not blow your cover until the time is right. I will inform you when it is your own time to leave. Until then, keep up whatever you're doing now," Yggdrasil ordered him before disappearing once again. Zelos picked up the projector before heading back to camp.

_"Well there goes my only friend from the group. I didn't even get to tell her good-bye. Hopefully I'll get to see her again before I...," _Zelos didn't really want to think about what his fate would be after Cruxis. He just hoped that hers would not be the same. He wondered how she was feeling right now, knowing what was coming tomorrow. She had to be at least a little attached to some of the people in the group, she had been with them longer than he had.

The next day the group entered the Toize Valley Mine and went searching for the inhibitor ore they needed so badly. Once they fought through the countless monsters that resided in the mines they managed to find exactly what they were searching for. As they came out of the cave Zelos knew what was coming next.

He saw that his assumptions were correct when Storm met up with the group not far from the mine.

"Storm, I thought you were waiting in Ozette for us, did something happen?" Lloyd asked, a little confused at her sudden appearance. Storm barely flinched at his question and seemed to be deep in thought at the moment. Zelos could see the confusion and pain in her eyes, he wasn't sure if anyone else could tell, but he definitely could read the emotion behind her hazel eyes by now.

"Lloyd, it's over," Storm simply stated. Zelos looked over to the swordsman and noticed the completely confused look on his face.

"What are you talking about? What's over?" he asked her, trying to comprehend her words.

"This silly quest of yours, it ends here," Storm told him as she began to reach for her sword.

"What are you talking about all of a sudden? You're not acting like yourself," Lloyd questioned. He wasn't sure what was going on, but he was beginning to grow concerned.

"Hand over the Chosen, it's time I took her back," Storm ordered him with her face still completely stoic. The only emotion that Zelos could read was the pain that was radiating through her eyes. When the rest of the group heard her statement the looks on their faces changed from confusion to shock. They couldn't believe what they were hearing, they couldn't believe that she too had been deceiving them for so long.

"You can't be serious, this is some sort of joke, right?" Sheena asked nervously, trying to get Storm to stop what she was doing. She didn't want to believe that one of her new friends had been lying to her for so long. Zelos could sympathize with both sides of this situation. Storm had so many things that she feared and that she didn't want to talk to him about. He was sure that she was hiding something from him, maybe she really didn't want to do this. The other side he could understand the pain of being betrayed by someone they had grown to love and care about as a friend. It was painful to watch, but he knew that this had to be done. He knew he would be in Storm's spot soon enough.

"No, you see Kratos was not the only one who was deceiving you all this time. I am also an angel of Cruxis and I'm here to reclaim the Chosen. Now, hand her over!" Storm commanded as she held out her hand to add to her statement.

"Storm, you can't be serious. You wouldn't betray us too," Lloyd shouted at her, the pain in his voice was obvious and it was apparent that the news was tearing him up inside.

"Yes Lloyd, it's true," Storm told him as she revealed a pair of beautiful blue wings. Zelos stared at the wings in awe. They shimmered as they came out and they shined in the sunlight, but the look on Storm's face let him know that there was nothing beautiful about her intentions.

"No, it's not true!" Lloyd screamed as he stepped backwards a few feet. "You wouldn't do this, I trusted you! You of all people should realize by now that what you're doing is wrong!" Lloyd yelled at her desperately. It was obvious that he was trying to bring back the girl that had once been so kind, so trustworthy. She was gone and had been replaced by this stoic angel of Cruxis that had come to retrieve an object for her master.

Storm became silent for a few moments, Zelos could see the pain tearing at her. He knew that Lloyd had hit some sort of nerve. Something in his statement was tearing her up inside. "Lloyd, right and wrong are only points of view. Don't you understand that my whole life I have been taught that what you're doing is wrong and that sacrificing the Chosen is right. Did you ever think that you're prolonging the suffering of the people of Sylverant as you go on your little adventure. Do you honestly want me to believe that you will find a way to help them?" she asked him angrily.

"There is a way to save everyone. There should be no sacrifices. Everyone deserves the right to live, it doesn't matter who you are," Lloyd defended himself and his ideals. Zelos looked back at Storm and realized that Lloyd had obviously hit yet another nerve of hers and she looked hurt and angry as she came back at him again.

"Okay, and where in this perfect little world are you going to fit me?" Lloyd looked at her strangely and even Zelos and the others were a little confused as to where she was going with this. "My parents were both human, but I can somehow use magic. Not only that, but I'm an angel and have angelic powers without even equipping a Cruxis Crystal. Where in your world can I go? Where will I live where I won't be sacrificed or discriminated against for being different...a freak," she yelled at him, tears stinging her eyes. Zelos didn't realize that she was hiding that much from them, no wonder she always seemed depressed.

"Well...I...," Lloyd began to stumble with his words. He wasn't exactly expecting that kind of response from Storm and he didn't really know how to answer her questions.

"That's what I thought," Storm snapped. "Now, if you don't mind, I'll be taking the Chosen back with me. I'll do it by force if necessary Storm said as she pulled her sword from its sheath.

"I won't let you take her without a fight," Lloyd replied as he and the others prepared to battle her. Zelos didn't really want to fight her, and he could tell the others were feeling the same. They were all apparently hurt by her betrayal and weren't quite sure if they really should fight her.

The group rushed at her nonetheless and Storm didn't even budge as they all came at her. Once they all got close enough she teleported behind them and attacked.

"Lightning blade," Storm yelled as she attacked Sheena from behind with her sword. Storm was about to go after Sheena once again, but heard Genis yell out for his Grave attack. She jumped into the air and flew away from the attack just in time. Of course, she didn't hear Raine cast her Ray attack as she was suddenly shocked by the light and thrown into the ground.

Storm seemed to be avoiding Lloyd, Colette, and Zelos purposely. Zelos could understand Colette and himself, but why was she avoiding Lloyd. Was it possible that she still cared about him, that she didn't want to hurt him. What if there was something going on between the two of them? He was pretty sure though that they were just very close friends.

With Storm distracted as Regal came at her she was suddenly sliced in the arm from behind. She looked behind her and was shocked when she saw that it was Lloyd who had inflicted the wound on her. Storm and Lloyd then began to fight with their swords. Neither of them wanted to give in a bit and it didn't seem as if either was gaining any ground. Storm noticed shortly that the group was beginning to close in around her as she released her Outburst attack to give herself some space.

Sheena came back at Storm after she regained her composure as she began to throw her cards at her repetitively. Storm was able dodge a few, but was struck by enough of them to begin to feel their effects. With Storm distracted by Sheena, Lloyd came up from behind and attacked her with his Hunting Beast attack. Storm screamed out in pain as she flew back and slammed on the ground before sliding back a few more feet. She struggled to her feet just in time to avoid the man quick attacks from Regal. Zelos could tell that she was beginning to grow tired from the battle, but she wasn't even beginning to give in.

Storm was beginning to grow tired of the battle and began to chant an incantation to try and finish off at least of few of them. She was just about to release her Holy Lance attack when she was struck violently in the back by Lloyd's Rising Falcon attack. She screamed in pain as she felt his sword go slice into her. She went down to one knee momentarily before getting back up to face them once again.

Suddenly, the rest of the group heard a voice pierce through the battle.

"Hey runt, Lord Yggdrasil says to forget about the Chosen for now and come back to Derris-Kharlan. It's not worth getting killed over, at least not yet. Now, come on, unless you want to die, it really doesn't bother me either way," the woman yelled. Zelos recognized that woman as the one that had hurt her earlier. Her name was Pronyma and was even more apparent than before that these two didn't like each other as he noticed Storm's angry expression.

"Yes Pronyma," Storm agreed when she looked around at the group Zelos noticed the relief over her eyes. She didn't really want to fight them the whole time, what was going through her mind? "This isn't the last time we meet Lloyd Irving," Storm warned him as she flew off with the angel.

The rest of the group sighed as the watched her fly away. There was silence among the group and Zelos could tell that they were all pained at being betrayed by Storm. Finally, someone decided to speak up.

"I can't believe we were being deceived again," Sheena said sadly as she looked at the ground before sitting down. Everyone looked at Lloyd, all knowing that he was probably most hurt from the discovery. They all knew that he and Storm had grown very close since they were together.

"Dammit, I can't believe I let her trick me," Lloyd said as he faced away from the others to hide his tears. He turned back towards Ozette. "Let's go...," he said quietly as he began to walk back towards the village. Everyone stared at him and each other before they got up silently and followed him.

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Well, that's the end of this chapter. I decided to do this one mainly in Zelos' point of view of the situation because we got Storm's POV in the first story. Anyway, I hope you liked it and please review so I know what you think! Thanks! 


	10. Chapter 10: Questions About Feelings

Okay, I think it's time to update this story. Sorry, but I was busy over the weekend. Anyway, I decided to make a statement on my profile about OC's so if you're interested go there and check it out. Well, I hope you're enjoying this story. So far, this has been one of my favorite to write, except maybe the first story I wrote. Anyway, here you go and enjoy!

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Chapter 10: Questions About Their Feelings 

A lot had happened since Storm betrayed the group and the others had so many other things they had been concerned with it became a thing of the past. She hadn't shown up again since she left, but Yuan and Kratos had both made their random appearances. Zelos was beginning to look around, wondering if Storm was going to show up at any point, but she never did. It seemed like she was gone to Cruxis and that she wasn't going to be coming back.

Storm's absence didn't seemed to bother anyone extremely terribly, it was mainly like when Kratos had left. It was tough to accept at first, but after awhile they all grew accustomed to the fact that she was gone, and they had time to grow angry at her for it. Zelos felt as if he was the only one who was missing her presence in the group. She seemed to be the only person who could stand his playboy style, but still got along with his serious side that he normally hid. Without her around he was feeling very alone, but he knew that soon he would be separated from the group. He just didn't know when that would be.

Currently, the group was regrouped with both Yuan and Kratos as they prepared to stop the twisted mana tree. They were about to invade Forcystus' base to shut down the last remaining mana reactor in Sylverant so Sheena could launch a counter attack at the out of control tree with the Summon Spirits from Tethe'alla. They had to work fast, and Kratos managed to gain back Lloyd's trust for the time being.

"Okay, so Kratos, Colette, and the Professor are going with me. We'll stop Forcytus, the rest of you go with the prisoners to make sure they get out safely," Lloyd told the group as they quickly left with their groups. Zelos couldn't believe that Lloyd was taking Kratos along with him after what he heard the man had done to the group. Maybe that meant they could take Storm back after this whole ordeal was over.

Zelos stopped what he was thinking, realizing that his thoughts kept going back to Storm. He knew that once he betrayed the group his time would be limited. He was okay with this thought, but he kept thinking about Storm even though he knew he wouldn't see her anymore. He had to tell himself to quit thinking about her, everyone else had. This was just like any other woman he had been with, he used to be able to move on. Of course, Storm was one of the rare women who never actually got with him, something that still blew him away.

As he followed Yuan and the rest of the small group he was with that was herding piles of prisoners out of the ranch, Zelos caught something out of the corner of his eye. There was someone sneaking around, there was a woman sneaking around. He wondered if it was a stray prisoner and he stopped to see if they needed any help getting out. He walked slowly in around the corner she had gone into just in case this woman wasn't friendly.

Around the corner was a large room with a computer in it. This room led off to many of the other hallways and seemed to be a control room of some sort. The large computer was mainly full of large monitors that showed many of the large rooms of the ranch. Zelos looked and could see both Yuan and Lloyd's groups moving through the ranch. He then looked to his left and saw the woman he was there for. Of course, he was shocked when he realized that the woman was Storm herself.

Storm was staring at the different screens as she watched the others move through the ranch. Every now and then she would see them about to run into a room that was locked. She looked down at the array of buttons, they were all marked as to which door they were to. She would wander along the buttons until she found what she was looking for and push it to unlock the door for her friends. She let out a small smile that was almost too small to see as she watched them all run into the different rooms.

Zelos was about to walk over to her, but rather decided to keep his distance. He didn't want to make her uncomfortable or scare her off completely. He was about to turn around when he saw someone coming up behind her. He didn't want to draw too much attention to himself, and he knew that since Storm was in with Cruxis she could handle herself in this situation. If he went out there himself or warned her he could ruin the plan to stop the out of control tree. Even he didn't want to see it completely destroy the worlds.

Storm watched the screens and pushed one more button, but as soon as she did someone grabbed her wrist and spun her around. She was forced to look at the man in the eyes. She had a shocked and even frightened look on her face, something Zelos wasn't too familiar with on her.

"Storm, what are you doing in my lovely ranch? I suppose you're here to visit me my dear," the man said with a very sly look on his face. Zelos looked at him, what was he up to, and what did he want with Storm?

"Forcystus! Why would I come to visit you? I'm here for Cruxis to make sure you don't screw something up too bad," she spat back after she had regained her cool. Zelos could notice that she was still a little intimidated by the man for some reason.

"Don't lie to me! I know that you're here helping those little friends of yours. Why else would you be letting them wander all over," Forcytus screamed at her at first, but then his voice became much softer, almost soothing for the girl.

Storm attempted to pull away from him. Forcystus wouldn't let go of her as she tried to struggle, but he actually pulled her closer. Zelos wasn't liking what the man was doing to her and he only wanted to strangle him for touching her.

_"How dare he touch **my** Storm_ _like that?" _Zelos thought angrily as he watched Forcystus.

Zelos stopped again. Why did he even care? Did he actually care about Storm more than he thought? This was something that he'd never felt before. Whenever he had broken up with yet another one night stand he would see her with another man not too long after. He never got jealous or upset in the least bit when the other man began to hug or kiss the woman. He couldn't understand why he hated seeing Forcytus touching Storm. They had never even had an intimate relationship or anything close to it. Why was he feeling this way about her?

"Let me go!" she yelled at him as she tried to push away once again.

"Now, now you know that this is your fate. This is what Lord Yggdrasil wants so you may as well get used to it. If I can't have what I really want then you'll have to do," he told her as he laughed a little at the disgusted look on her face.

"I won't, I don't care what he says," she yelled back at him.

"When did you get this spunk?" he asked, chuckling a little. "Well, I guess if you don't care what he says then I'll let him know that you're out here helping Lloyd's group destroy my ranch," he said as he walked over to the computer. He was about to call Derris Kharlan. Storm looked at him before she broke down.

"Wait! I'll leave, and I'll behave just don't tell him," she said as she hung her head down in defeat. Zelos couldn't believe what he'd seen. Cruxis had so much power over Storm, and it was all through fear. He could only imagine what growing up with them was like.

"That's a good girl. Now, you leave and be good while I take care of this pesky little group," Forcystus said as he lifted up her chin and ran a hand down her cheek before leaving once again. Storm stood and looked at the ground for awhile, apparently trying to pull herself together. What was going on between her and this Forcystus guy? Zelos wanted to know, but he knew that he probably never would. He looked at Storm, knowing he couldn't comfort her as he left to meet with the others outside.

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Storm couldn't believe that she had let Forcystus push her around once again. She would have loved to just kill him then and there, but she really couldn't kill anyone. She may have been a tough fighter, but when it came down to it she didn't want to kill people. She knew it wasn't right, no matter what Mithos had taught her. Her father never approved of it, and Yuan didn't seem to like the idea too much himself. She could injure someone to get her point across and she did resort to violence a lot, but taking a life was something she couldn't bring herself to do too easily. 

She wanted to break down and cry, but after all of her years with Cruxis and Mithos she had found that she was unable to anymore. She knew how Colette must have felt, to want to cry but to not be able to.

"_I really wish Zelos was here right now...," _Storm thought as she stared at the ground.

Storm couldnt' believe that she had just thought that. Why did she want Zelos to be there with her? She didn't think that she cared for him. Sure they were friends when she was with the group, but they were only friends and that was over now that she was gone. He probably didn't even care about her anymore. He had more important things to do now. She decided that she had better get out before Forcystus decided to come back or before Raine decided to destroy the ranch like she had done to all the others.

As she was heading out she caught a glimpse of Zelos outside waiting for Lloyd, her father, Colette, and Raine. He didn't see her, but she wanted to make sure to see him once more before she headed back up to Derris Kharlan. Did she care about him? She didn't know what he was doing to her.

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Well, that's it for this chapter. Lots of feelings are sneaking up on them. Anyway, check out my profile like I said, only if you care about OC's and their future. I sound like I'm trying to save an endangered species or something. Hahaha... Anyway, tell me what you think about this chapter. Oh, and I was thinking about writing a "Could It Be Love 2" or something. It won't be titled that but you catch my drift. I like Zelos' point of view so I was thinking about Return of the Queen. Tell me what you think about that. Please review and thanks for reading. Thanks for the reviews for the reviews. Oh, and my silent readers, I know you're there, what you tell me is important. Thanks! 


	11. Chapter 11: Confessions

Okay, it's time to update this story. I said this for my last story and now I will say it here. Where is everyone? I mean everyone. Hopefully I don't have to use names as examples. I haven't heard from some of you guys in awhile and I'm wondering if you're still alive out there, or maybe I did something that made you stop reading the story. Sorry if it stinks guys, but I'm really doing my best. Anyway, this chapter skips out now in the story because Storm and Zelos really don't have a lot of interaction between the last chapter and to where this chapter starts at. So, don't worry, you're not missing something that you wouldn't find in my first story or in the game. Lots of summing up in this chapter, if not for you guys then for me. Oh, and I'm gonna switch up the conversation a little. I hope you don't mind if it's not word for word the same as in my own story. It would be boring if it was, if that's what you wanna see then go and read the first story. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this.

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Chapter 11: Confessions 

So much had happened since the group had stopped the twisted mana tree. They had made their way to Derris Kharlan, were captured, and managed to escape from Cruxis all to help save Colette from a horrible fate. Her Cruxis Crystal caused her body to begin to crystalize and a cure was necessary to stop her. Unfortunately, it was exactly what Mithos wanted as the group was led closer and closer to Derris-Kharlan. Lloyd and the others collected all the necessary ingredients for the cure and brought them all to Derris Kharlan while getting their last item. They were captured as they prepared to cure Colette then use her body to revive Martel.

With Lloyd's determination though, the group managed to escape and even trick some of the angels in Welgagia to give them the last item they needed. Then all they had to do was go to Altessa's and he would cure her. Problems solved, right? Well, the others weren't planning on what would happen next.

Before long Yuan showed up at Altessa's and he had a very drugged up Storm with him, as well as a very worried and confused Kratos. Yuan brought Lloyd outside with him once he was sure that everyone else in the house was knocked out from some more drugs. With Kratos caught, and his two children in front of him Yuan spilled the biggest secret of them all. Lloyd and Storm soon discovered that they were brother and sister. Yuan ordered Kratos to give up his own life in order to save his children's.

Lloyd and Storm were both shocked by the discovery, but they didn't have to worry about their lives or Kratos'. Mithos soon entered the picture when he revealed to Lloyd that he was in fact also the Lord Yggdrasil that he had come to hate so much already. Altessa and Tabatha were hurt when Mithos unleashed his power on the group before leaving with Storm and Kratos in tow.

The group felt as if they had been sucked into a whirlwind and spit back out after the events over the past few days. Altessa's health was the most important concern at the time as the group rushed to Flanoir to find the best doctor there. Once they hired the doctor a few members of the group remained behind while the others accompanied the doctor back to Altessa's. Lloyd had stayed in Flanoir, but Zelos went back to Altessa's. He was afraid that he would be receiving a message from Cruxis after everything that had just happened. He didn't really want Lloyd to find out and he felt safest to go where everyone was more concerned with the doctor and Altessa to notice if he went missing for a little bit.

Just like Zelos had anticipated he soon received information that Storm would be arriving to discuss the plans for the next day with him. He agreed to meet her in the woods next to Altessa's home. He then wandered out while Raine, Presea, and Regal stayed behind to watch over the dwarf.

Zelos reached the woods as he sat on log that seemed to have been on the ground for quite a long time. He took a deep breath and sighed loudly as he looked into the dark forest.

_"So this is going to be it then. I suppose tomorrow my time with this group will end, and my life will most likely end with it," _Zelos thought to himself almost sadly as he looked down at the ground. After a few seconds he looked back up and saw Storm coming into the small area. She almost looked like she had been crying. Her eyes looked like they were welling up with tears. He wondered what happened to her. He knew that she wasn't one to cry, and he wasn't even sure if she could.

"Are you all right?" he asked her as she sat down next to him silently. She waved it off as she looked at him, trying to regain her composure.

"You probably know why I'm here," she said with her standard Cruxis voice, the emotionless voice that he knew was just a fake act that she put on when she was doing business.

"I suppose you want me to lead them to Derris Kharlan," he answered her with the same stoic attitude. Even though their voices were emotionless, they could both feel the depression in each other as they spoke.

"That's what Lord Yggdrasil wants," she added to his comment.

"I suppose after that little episode last night," Zelos said with a fake chuckle.

There was a long silence between the two of them. There was so much that each of them wanted to say to each other, but the masks that they wore wouldn't allow them to be themselves. Finally, Storm decided to go against her own good judgement and say something that had been bothering her.

"You know Zelos...you don't have to do this. You can still get away from it all," she told him. "You don't have to kill Lloyd and the others," she added, letting him understand how extreme the consequences of his actions could be.

"Yeah, I know, but this is what I want," Zelos told her. Storm seemed a little confused as to what he was talking about at first. He wanted to kill Lloyd? "I have to lose this Chosen title. It's made my entire life a joke, and it's made it a living hell," he clarified after seeing her confused expression.

"But you always seem so happy. You don't seem like you're life is all that bad," Storm told him. She was trying to find anything that would convince him to change his mind.

"That's not who I really am. This is who I really am, right here with you now. I'm only popular because of my title and I let my life become revolved around that after..." Zelos said, but he cut out at the end. Something that he was going to say apparently caused him a lot of pain.

"You let yourself become popular because of your title because you never showed anyone who you really are. What happened?" she asked him as she stared at him trying to dig into his very soul.

"It happened when I was little. There was a day with red snow," he said quietly. Storm cocked her head at his response.

"Red snow?" she asked curiously, urging him to continue.

Zelos looked at her and realized that he had no way out of finally revealing his story. The only other person who knew it completely was his butler at his mansion and maybe Seles, but he figured he could tell Storm. After all, she was the only person that had cared about him enough to even discover that there was a story to tell.

_It was the first snow that the young nine year old Zelos had ever seen. The entire ground was covered with the white, sparkling snow. Zelos was in awe at the sight of his village completely covered, so he miraculously managed to convince his mother to go outside with him in the snow._

_Once they got outside, Zelos decided to make a snowman, his first. Once the snowman was completed Zelos stood back to admire his piece of artwork. Unfortunately, when he looked back he noticed that his snowman wasn't exactly a masterpiece. It was actually pretty ugly and was even pretty out of proportion. Oh well, he could live with the fact that his snowman was unique. _

_Suddenly, there were red spots all over Zelos' snowman. Zelos thought the snowman was ugly, but he had liked it. He was upset that someone would splatter red all over the snowman he had spent so much time on. He turned around to find who ruined his creation. When he turned around he saw something that would haunt him for the rest of his life._

_There behind him was the source of the red spots, his mother. She was killed, and before she died she managed to tell Zelos the one thing that was on her mind..._

"_Zelos, you never should have been born..."_

"Zelos..." Storm said softly as she gently placed her hand on his shoulder. She had never known that he had such a horrible past. To have a parent tell you that you shouldn't have been born was as bad or even worse than the torture that she had gone through. No wonder he was so depressed all the time. She then understood why he always acted like a pervert, he wanted to keep the world away from him and keep himself from getting close to anyone. He was afraid of being hated by the world, so he found a personality the world really liked and he stuck to it.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have told you that," he said as he looked at her sadly.

"I know how losing a parent feels although I was too young to remember her too well. I still wish she was around though, she would know what I should do," Storm told him as she looked down at the ground again before she stared up at the stars through the holes between the trees. "I used to think that my brother was dead too, but last night came as a shock. Of course, that only made things worse," she said. Zelos could see that when she mentioned Lloyd she got the same look on her face that she had come with.

"That must have been rough for you last night. First you find out about Lloyd, but then that also revealed what happened to your mother," he said to her.

Storm drew her attention back to Zelos in surprise that he had remembered that she didn't really know anything about what had happened to her mother. She looked down at her hands, trying to find something comforting to look at.

"Yeah, I never really knew what happened to Mom, but when I found about what Dad did...I wasn't mad at him, he had no other choice...I wish he would have told me about her and Lloyd," she said sadly.

"You know, I think that you'll be just fine Storm," Zelos told her as he touched her hands, making her look back up at him.

"What are you talking about?" she asked him curiously. He was always so confusing to her.

"I think that you're going to make it out of all of this just fine. I just run from everything. I'm not even strong enough to have a normal life. I want to be normal and maybe...have a family someday," he told her. At this point he knew his dream was impossible, but it was a dream.

"You...a family?" she asked him in complete and utter shock.

"Yeah, why not?" Zelos as he thought about it seriously. He couldn't help but glance at the look Storm was giving him and chuckle a little. He played with her a little by putting his hand on his chin as he pretended to seriously think about it.

"Well...I guess I just never really pictured you the type," she replied honestly.

He looked to her as she caught gazes with him. He smiled at her softly before he chuckled a little at her answer. "I told you, I'm not always how I appear," he said.

"No...no you're not," she said softly as she stared at him a little longer. "So, I suppose that you won't consider going against Yggdrasil?" she asked him before looking back to where Altessa's house was.

"Probably not. It's not like I have anything going for me anyway. My parents hated me and I have no one else who cares about me," he told her as he shared her gaze to where the house was.

Storm looked at him angrily. "There are people here who care about you," she yelled at him, trying to remind him of all the people in the group who considered him a friend. Surprisingly enough, he had managed to make friends with Sheena even.

"What does it matter? They'll all hate me soon enough too," he told her, he didn't even bother to look at her as he answered her. What he didn't realize was how close Storm was getting to him. He finally looked over at her and saw that she was merely inches from him. She had a sad and concerned look on her face that he had never seen before.

"Tell me that you'll at least think about what I said," she told him as she put her hand to his cheek gently. She was so close to him that he could feel her breath on his lips. He knew that he wouldn't consider her request. He had already made up his mind about Cruxis and his fate and he remained silent.

Storm was able to read his answer in his actions as she pulled back from him before standing up. She realized what her emotions had almost gotten her into. She almost kissed him, but then she soon realized that he hadn't tried to kiss her. There was something there between the two of them, but she wasn't able to talk him out of his decision.

"I suppose this is where we part ways," she told him with her back to him. She didn't want him to see what his decision was doing to him, after all, it was his choice.

"Yeah," he said as he stood up. "Good bye Storm," he told her as he walked back towards Altessa's.

Storm turned back around as she watched him walk away from her. "Zelos..." she whispered into the night before she pulled out her wings to return to Derris Kharlan.

_"Damn him," _she thought as she flew back.

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Well, that's it for this chapter. I hope that it was good enough. I really enjoyed kinda rewriting that chapter. It was a little different than the version in my first story, but I think I got the emotions better this time. The plot and most of the lines were the same, but I took some stuff out and added a lot more emotion into it. I like it, it was fun. Well, tell me what you think, especially all of you who haven't reviewed in forever and those of you who've never reviewed before. I do take anonymous reviews too you know! Thanks and review please! 


	12. Chapter 12: The Truth

Hey everybody, it's time to update again! Yay! Starting to get close to the end of this story. Like I said there might be another story about Zelos and Storm. I am kind of thinking of ideas for another action/adventure fic that takes place after The Dark Age fics. Anyway, I don't know when that will be out or anything. Well, thanks for the reviews. Enjoy this chapter!

Chapter 12: The Truth

Storm woke up the next morning. She wasn't able to sleep, but after being beaten so badly by Pronyma the night before she managed to black out. She didn't feel as sore as she thought she would. She looked at where the cuts and bruises would have been, but they were all mostly gone. There were a few marks, but nothing that wouldn't disappear in a day or two. She figured that with the big battle that was sure to come today, Lord Yggdrasil must have come to heal her after her punishment. He definitely was not happy that she had been hiding things from him, and he usually let her suffer awhile, but he needed the help today.

Storm got off her bed at the thoughts of the battle. Zelos was going to lead them to the Tower of Salvation. For a brief moment Storm wondered if he would take her advice, but the look in his eyes the other night had made her feel that his mind was completely made up. She sighed as she got up and walked down the halls of Derris Kharlan. She had to get to the Tower of Salvation and help him, but she didn't want anyone to see her sneaking off. She was sure that if she looked too worried about him, someone might grow suspicious and think that she wanted to help Lloyd's group.

Storm rounded a corner before she heard an all too familiar voice call to her.

"Have you licked your wounds runt?" Pronyma asked her. Storm froze in her spot before she turned around and glared at the woman who had just happily knocked her across the floor the night before. "Where are you going? Are you off to help that stupid Chosen of Tethe'alla? He won't win, but at least he'll manage to get the Chosen. I'm picking up Slyverant's Chosen there so don't get in my way maggot," Proynma said before using the last sentence as a firm warning.

Storm watched as Pronyma walked back out of sight before she made her way slowly behind her. Pronyma was heading towards the warp that led to the Tower of Salvation. She snuck around the corners silently as she followed her. Soon, Storm was stopped by another familiar, but more relieving voice.

"Storm, where are you going?" her father's voice called out to her. Storm turned around to see Kratos standing behind her waiting for some sort of reply. "I went to check on you to make sure you were all right after yesterday, but you were already gone. Are you sure you should be up moving already?" he asked her.

"I'm fine, Lord Yggdrasil used his healing techniques on me," she told him as she watched around the corner as Pronyma disappeared into yet another hallway. When she was gone Storm turned back around to her father.

"He healed you? He must have been afraid that Lloyd and the others would make it here," Kratos said.

"What exactly are you doing wandering around here? Do you think that they're going to make it here?" she asked.

"I think that they will, and I'll be ready for them when they do," Kratos said confidently. Storm wasn't sure if that meant he was planning on fighting them or helping them. In fact, she wasn't really sure what she wanted to do herself. She only knew of one person that she wanted to help at that moment.

"I'm sorry Dad, but I have to go and do something," she said suddenly as she began to make her way back towards the warp pad that led to the Tower of Salvation. Kratos was left to wonder what side of the battle Storm was going to take. He hoped that she would follow her heart instead of following orders.

Storm finally made her way through the twists and turns of Derris Kharlan, and managed to get lost a few times. It didn't matter how many times she made her way through the city she could always get lost so easily. She was about to get to the warp pad when she noticed that someone was coming through it. She ran and hid, not sure whether the person who was coming through was someone she wanted to meet up with.

She soon saw Lloyd and his group coming through. The thing that worried her the most was that the group was short two people. Both Colette and Zelos were missing from the group. This made Storm even more frantic to get to the Tower of Salvation. Once the group passed through Storm got onto the pad and warped back down to the tower.

Once she got off the warp pad she what she was hoping she wouldn't. On the ground was Zelos, bloody and motionless. She walked to him slowly, almost afraid that he would slip away if she moved to quickly. She reached out her hand and placed it on his cheek. It was still warm, letting her know that he hadn't been there too long. She knelt beside him and grabbed his limp hand, feeling the small pulse that he had. He was alive, but just barely.

"I've never done this before, but I have to try," Storm told herself quietly as she tried to transfer some of her mana to him. She could feel her mana begin to flow into him as she willed it to move to him with all her might. She wanted him alive and next to her, she couldn't stand to see him dead. Storm began to glow purple as she concentrated more and more on what she wanted.

Suddenly, Zelos' eyes began to slowly open as he looked around. He finally caught gazes with Storm who stared at him in disbelief and also relief. She was so happy to see that he was alive, but she couldn't believe that she had actually been the one that brought him back.

"Storm...?" Zelos asked her weakly as he squinted up at her. "What are you doing here?"

"Shh...I gave you some of my mana. Just take it easy for a few mintues," she told him as she looked down at him.

"Why did you save me? You guys have the Chosen," Zelos questioned her. Storm looked at him, shocked that he would even ask her something like that.

"You idiot! You almost died, and that's all you can say?" she yelled at him angrily. "I don't care about Cruxis and Yggdrasil anymore. I care about you, that's why I'm here," she told him. After seeing him almost die in front of her she knew that she had to tell him how she felt. She was about to do something that could cost her her life and he deserved the right to know.

"What!" Zelos asked her, shocked at her sudden emotions. This was nothing like her and he was wondering what was going on.

"Zelos, you're the only person who can really understand me, the real me. You let me believe that I can be more than what Yggdrasil tells me I have to be. It's because of you that I finally decided to follow my heart instead of following what Cruxis wants," she told him as she started to squeeze his hand tighter unintentionally as she revealed her true feelings to him.

"I did all that?" Zelos asked her.

"Yeah, I saw everyone after they fought you. What you did really hurt them. They all care about you too, you're important, and you taught me that I'm important too," she told him as she smiled down at him. Zelos sat up slowly as he looked her in the eyes. He shook his head at the things that she was telling him.

"That can't be true. Why would anyone care about me?" Zelos asked her, trying to get what he thought was the truth out of her.

"Zelos, if no one cared about you then why did I come here? Why am I sitting here beside you right now?" she asked him.

"I don't know...I mean..." Zelos stumbled with his words, a little speechless after what she told him. Storm was becoming more upset with his stubborn attitude as he kept trying to put himself down.

"I love you Zelos! What more do you want from me? You can be so stubborn sometimes!" Storm yelled at him, completely frustrated. Zelos looked at her with a shocked and confused look on his face, but it soon turned into a smile when he realized that the Storm he knew had finally returned.

Storm crossed her arms and turned away from him angrily, but soon felt a hand cup her chin. Before she knew what was happening her face was turned back towards Zelos and their lips met. This was what Storm had wanted for so long, but was too afraid to go after. Now she was going to break away from Cruxis, she was with the man she loved. She felt Zelos' hand move around behind her head as he placed it on her neck. He pulled her closer to him as they deepened the kiss. Storm and Zelos were both in bliss.

Zelos had kissed many women, but with Storm he felt something entirely different. This was the first woman that had actually gotten to know him for the person that he really was, and not for the title that he had. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity they parted for some much needed air. Zelos looked at Storm who had her eyes closed with a small smile formed on her face.

"Go help them Zelos, they need you," Storm whispered to him before she slowly opened her eyes to look at him.

"Aren't you coming?" he asked her as he cocked his head in confusion.

"I have some unfinished business to take care of first," she told him, growing angry at the thought of who she would be dealing with next.

"All right, please be careful," Zelos told her before he stood up. He posed a battle move like Lloyd usually did which Storm giggled at before she got to her feet. "Now...let's kick some Cruxis butt!" he announced. They both went to the warp pads before they separated at Derris Kharlan.

Well, that's the end of this chapter. I hope you don't mind if I kind of switched it up a little. I kind of wanted to change it a little. Anyway, hope you liked it. Please review and tell me what you think! Thanks! Oh, and stupid document managed wouldn't let me put in lines this time. Don't ask me why, but sorry if this is harder to read in any way. It's like when I never did lines in my first stories because I wasn't smart enough to realize that there was a feature to put them in. Oopsie! Hehe...


	13. Chapter 13: Decisions

I am so sorry that this took so long to update, but I am officially in college now. Don't expect the same amount of updates that you'd normally get, but I will try my hardest to get something up every once in awhile. Sorry for any inconvenience. Well, on with the next chapter. Oh, and the lines are still being stupid, so I hope you like my manually made break in the story. Haha!

b r e a k b r e a k b r e a k b r e a k

Chapter 13: Decisions

_"Hang on, we're almost there," _Zelos thought as he ran through the halls with the rest of the rescued group on his heels. He knew where Mithos was, Storm had pointed him in the right direction before she split with him, and he knew that Lloyd would be there whether he was alone or not. He and the others had to get there before he got himself into more trouble than he could handle on his own.

Zelos and the others finally arrived, but where interested to see what would take place between Lloyd and Mithos. They would reveal themselves when an unprepared Mithos decided to attack.

"You're all alone Lloyd, do you really think that you can defeat me?" Mithos asked as he took a step closer to Lloyd who didn't back down one bit.

"I'll do whatever it takes to defeat you and get Colette back," Lloyd said as he pulled his sword from its sheath. Zelos and the others were about to jump down to join the fight, but someone else reacted before they did.

"Storm, I see Pronyma finally found you. Where did she go?" Mithos asked her as Storm landed in between Lloyd and Mithos. She spun around to answer her master's question. Zelos could tell that she was fighting a lot of thoughts in her head and he could see the uneasiness and nervousness in her.

"Pronyma won't be joining us, I made sure of that," she told him, adding a sense of finality to her statement to get her point across to him.

"You...you mean you killed her?" Lloyd asked, shocked that she would commit such a crime. He knew that Storm worked for Cruxis, but he never wanted to accept her as a murderer.

Zelos had to admit that even he was surprised by what he had heard. He knew that she didn't like Pronyma, and Pronyma didn't like her, but he never thought that Storm would ever kill her. The others in the group seemed to be as shocked as everyone else, but Zelos did notice that Raine didn't appear to be too surprised by the news. Didn't she trust Storm even that much?

Mithos stood in thought for a moment before shrugging it off and turning to Storm. "Well, I suppose she was just a weak member of the group anyway. So, do you want to do the same thing to Lloyd here for me?" he asked as he smiled a little at her.

Storm's eyes grew wide with shock when she heard his question. "No, I won't take part in this anymore. I will not hurt my family anymore," Storm spat at him, apparently upset that he would even ask her something like that. She turned around to look at Lloyd who was still staring at her in confusion. "I betrayed you once Lloyd, but now I know what side I'm fighting on," she told him with a large grin on her face.

"If you really cared about your family Storm then you would help me. I helped raise you since you were young. Don't forget about your 'Uncle Mithos'," Mithos told her as he tried to sway her back. "Don't tell me that you would betray me after everything I've taught you," he added almost angrily after not receiving a quick response.

Storm kept looking at Lloyd, she obviously had made up her mind, but was waiting for his answer. "Lloyd, please tell me that you'll let me fight with you once more. I know you probably won't be able to forgive me for what I did, but please let me try and make it up to you," she pleaded with him.

Lloyd continued to stare at her before looking at Mithos one more time. He then returned his attention to his sister. "I don't know if I can trust you if you're swayed so easily. What's to stop you from going back to Cruxis anyway?" he asked her.

Mithos used his reply to try and sway Storm back to his side again, not even giving the young girl anytime to think. "Look, even your own family rejects you. I still need you though Storm, I still care about you. Come back and help me. Together we can resurrect Martel, we're so close now," he said as he stepped a little closer to her.

Zelos hated seeing Storm put into this kind of situation. He wanted to shout to her, to comfort her, but it would blow their cover. Besides, he knew that Storm needed to work this out on her own. She needed to conquer this, and he knew that she would.

"Storm, I'm not rejecting you, I just want to truly know that I can trust you to fight on my side again," he told her, a small smile tugging at the side of his mouth.

Storm stood in between the two, obviously stumped as to each of their motives. Did they really want her with them, or did they just want her help to destroy the other.

"I'm growing tired of this," Mithos finally said as he raised his hand to launch an attack against Lloyd. Zelos noticed something glowing near him and before he knew it Genis managed to knock a magic attack near Mithos. Mithos stopped the attack and looked up at its source. Storm and Lloyd also looked up, and all three couldn't believe what they were seeing.

"Don't touch him," Genis threatened as he raised his weapon to give the half-elf a hint.

"You guys...you're all right? And Zelos you're here too?" Lloyd asked, both stumped and ecstatic about their appearance. They all came down to where Lloyd was standing as they went behind him for support.

"Yeah, but if it wasn't for..." Zelos began before he noticed Storm standing behind Lloyd shaking her head anxiously trying to get him to stop. He didn't understand why she didn't want the recognition, but soon understood that she didn't want any of his credit. She wanted him to gain Lloyd's trust back, she wanted him to pretend that he hadn't actually betrayed them. He would have loved to do that, but Storm needed the trust now more than anyone. Besides, he didn't want to watch her try and choose sides anymore.

"If it wasn't for Storm I wouldn't be alive. Besides, she told me where to find everyone before anything bad could happen to them," Zelos said as he pointed to the others in the group. They were all shocked as they looked at Storm who really seemed to hate all the eyes on her.

"Is...is that true?" Lloyd asked her, he couldn't believe it maybe he was wrong about her all this time.

"Is this true?" Mithos asked her angrily.

Zelos watched as Storm was forced to make a very important decision. If she chose to stay with Cruxis he would have to fight the woman he loved. If she chose Lloyd's side he would be able to fight alongside her. Whatever side she chose, he hoped it was what she really wanted. She had told him she wanted to follow her heart, and if that was the case then he knew what she would decide.

"Yes, it's true," she said confidently as she walked towards Lloyd's group as Mithos watched his pupil join his enemy's side.

_"I knew you could do it Storm,"_ Zelos thought as he watched Storm come over. She looked at him before smiling at him. She looked at him and silently mouthed a "thank you" to him before standing next to him ready to take down Cruxis.

b r e a k b r e a k b r e a k b r e a k

Well, that's it. I hope you liked it. Next chapter will probably have a little more action and such, but who knows! Anyway, sorry for the wait, but I don't really know when I can update again either. Anyway, thanks for all the reviews and I hope this chapter was satisfactory. Thanks!


	14. Chapter 14: A Father's Wishes

Sorry that it took so long to update. Actually, I should be studying for a test right now, but I'm going to update. Yes, I have been busy, but I don't think this would get done tomorrow because I have a club meeting tomorrow after classes. Anyway, I hope you're all enjoying this story, and I'd like to tell everyone that I had an idea for another story. I don't know if everyone will like it, actually, I don't know if I'll like it but I know that it's something I'm going to do. It's something I've been debating about for awhile, but now I know how to go about doing it, and I finally decided. I know this is confusing because you all have no idea what I'm talking about. Anyway, here's the next chapter for this story and thanks for putting up with my lack of updating. Sorry.

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Chapter 14: A Father's Wishes

He couldn't believe it. They had actually managed to defeat Mithos. Zelos looked over at Storm who was apparently still having a hard time betraying someone who was obviously still close to her. He could understand her predicament much better than some of the others in the group. She had let out more of her secrets to him than she had even let out to her own brother. Of course, he had let out a lot more about himself to her than he had ever done to anyone in his life.

He saw a Storm looked at the place where Mithos had stood, where he had been before the final blow was delivered and he disappeared in front of them. She had a strange look on her face. At first she looked relieved, but in her eyes he could see the pain and depression most likely caused by her betrayal. He knew that eventually she would realize that it was better for both Mithos and her this way.

Storm caught Zelos looking at her as she quickly shifted her gaze from the ground in front of her to him. She flashed him a small smile which he knew was only a cover up for her true feelings, but he was satisfied. Everyone in the group seemed happy at their victory, but the joy didn't last long when Kratos finally made his announcement to the group.

"What...but you'll..." Lloyd started, but he didn't want to finish his statement, knowing full well what would happen to his father if he won the battle that Kratos was planning.

"No Dad you can't," Storm cried out as she shook her head in protest.

Zelos knew that she and Lloyd had already lost a mother and he knew how that felt, but he didn't want to see Storm lose her father, especially if it was going to be by her brother's hand. Plus, he didn't want to watch his friend Lloyd have to take down his newly found father. This was a tricky situation they were in. The only way to save the two worlds was to use the Eternal Sword, but they had to release the seal that was already there. Unfortunately, Kratos was the seal and giving up his life was the only way to allow Lloyd access to Origin and the Eternal Sword.

"I must do this to atone for my sins. Besides, there is no other way to save the two worlds. Meet me in the forest near Heimdall," he stated before quickly making his exit, most likely so Storm couldn't pursue him.

"Storm...wait!" Zelos and Lloyd both called as Storm soon began to make her way after her father. She spun around quickly, pain written all over her face as she faced them.

"I can't lose him! He's all I've got now, I'm sorry Lloyd," she said as she ran out of the building.

"Damn it...isn't there any other way?" Lloyd asked as he looked out to where both Storm and Kratos had run out. Zelos could only hope that there was someway to prevent what was about to happen.

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The group soon found themselves lodged in Heimdall. In the morning Lloyd would be facing his father in a duel to the death, and Storm would be there to watch the outcome. There was nothing anyone could do, and it killed him to know that she was going to lose a family member.

He had no idea what had happened to Storm after she ran off, but he hoped that she was okay. He decided to go to bed early so he would be awake for whatever came in the morning. Of course, he didn't think that he'd sleep very well that night with everything else running through his head.

About halfway through the night Zelos woke up when he heard someone moving through the village. He got up and looked out the window and saw Kratos. He was surprised at his appearance, but he was even more surprised at who else was there. Kratos was walking to the elder's house with Storm in his arms. At first he was worried that she had been hurt, but he knew that Kratos would have looked a little more concerned if that was the case. He knew that must have been sleeping, and he was taking her somewhere to stay while he ran off once again.

Zelos continued to watch as the door to the elder's home opened and the man inside allowed Kratos entrance. Once Kratos was in and the door had been closed, Zelos left his room and went outside so he could meet him on his way out of the village. Soon enough, the door opened and Kratos was met by the red-head.

"So, where do you think you're going now?" Zelos asked as he crossed his arms to stare at the mercenary.

"I must do this, for the both of them. It is the only way," Kratos simply stated before attempting to get by Zelos. Unfortunately for the mercenary Zelos wasn't going to let him get away with an answer like that.

"How do you think you're helping them? You're killing them right now , you know that? I can see it Lloyd's eyes, and I can see it in her eyes too," Zelos said, glancing over at the elder's house when he mentioned Storm.

Kratos glanced at the house over his shoulder before looking back at Zelos and sighing. "I know they don't understand now, but it's the only way. They will be fine without me anyway," he said as he stared at Zelos with his classic stoic look, but Zelos knew that there were other emotions behind his cold exterior. He knew that same fake look like Storm always used to give him.

Kratos managed to make his way past Zelos, but on his way Zelos thought he heard the seraph whisper as he passed him. "Please, take good care of her..."

Zelos spun around to make sure he wasn't hearing wrong, but when he did Kratos had already disappeared.

_"Could he know how we really feel about each other? Or does he just want her to be protected by someone?"_ Zelos wondered, but soon he heard someone else moving around outside. Not wanting to be questioned by one of the elves or by his friends, Zelos snuck back into his room for the night.

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The next morning Zelos woke up when Sheena angrily pounded on his door.

"Wake up Zelos, we've all been waiting for you!" she screamed as Zelos slowly rolled out of bed and rubbed his eyes. He looked out the window and squinted as the morning sun met his eyes.

"I'm coming, give me a second," he yelled back as he threw on some clothes before emerging from his room.

"It's about time, everyone is outside waiting," Sheena yelled at him.

Once the group was outside, Zelos looked over to the elder's home and wondered if Storm was still inside sleeping. If she was she would miss the battle, something that might be good for her. He didn't want to see her as the two battled to the death.

Before long, the group headed into the woods to find Kratos, moving through the maze of trees and shrubbery. Zelos began to wonder if anyone really wanted to find the person they were looking for.

Soon, the group came upon a clearing and Kratos stood in front of them with his sword ready at his side.

"So, you came," he simply stated as he looked at Lloyd.

"Isn't there any other way?" Lloyd asked desperately, praying for some way to prevent what was bound to happen.

"Are you still thinking that way? You'll die if you think like that when you fight me," Kratos told him sternly. He wasn't allowing Lloyd to worry about him.

"Fine, I'm ready to fight you," Lloyd said as he pulled out his swords.

"You're going to fight alone?" Kratos asked when he saw that no one else was preparing for battle.

"You want to atone for your sins, then it's my duty as your son to see it through," Lloyd calmly stated.

The two began to fight and Zelos wasn't sure if he could even watch the duel to the death. Father versus son, and yet Storm was missing. She would lose someone today and she wasn't even around to try and stop it.

After a lot of fighting, Lloyd seemed to be gaining the upper hand. He was getting the hang of dodging Kratos' Air Thrust and Grave attacks, but Kratos could never really tell what Lloyd was going to do. Kratos had a battle plan, but Lloyd usually ran off instincts, which was what was leading him to victory in this case. Suddenly, Kratos fell to one knee as Lloyd pointed one of his swords in his direction to give the final blow.

"You've grown strong," Kratos managed to utter.

"Thanks to you," Lloyd sighed.

"Aren't you going to finish me off?" Kratos weakly asked.

All of a sudden, Storm burst through the woods before jumping in between the two swordsmen. Zelos couldn't believe it. She had actually made it, and she came when she needed to. The next question was, how was she going to stop what was already happening?

"Don't do it Lloyd! Please don't, I don't know what I would do without Dad," she yelled at him as she protected Kratos with arms stretched out in front of him. Kratos looked up at his daughter from his place on the ground.

Lloyd took a few steps towards Kratos before putting his swords back at his sides. Everyone sighed, knowing that Lloyd was not going to finish him off.

"I defeated Kratos, the angel, the one who betrayed us. And I forgive Kratos, the hero of the Ancient War, the one who helped us. That's all," he stated.

"And I thought I'd finally earned the right to die, but you're as soft-hearted as ever," Kratos said as he got up weakly and began to walk towards the seal.

"What are you doing? You...you're not going to break the seal are you?" Lloyd asked as he watched him get closer to the seal stone.

"Dad...what are you...?" Storm asked anxiously as she watched her father.

"This is what you desire, is it not?" Kratos asked as he looked back at the both of them. He didn't give them the chance to answer his question before he began to release all his mana in front of them, his life force slowly leaving him.

Storm would have run out to stop him and give him some mana, but after her fight with Mithos and Pronyma, and after giving some to Zelos all in one day, she wasn't sure if she could spare anymore, even if she managed to make it to him in time.

What happened next, Zelos wasn't even sure himself. All he saw was Kratos falling, but soon Yuan was there, preventing him from hitting the ground. The rest of the group looked at him, hoping that Kratos hadn't already passed on.

"Is he...?" Lloyd asked cautiously, afraid of what the answer could be.

"He'll be okay, I gave him some of my mana," Yuan stated as Kratos began to stir. Zelos had to admit that he was relieved to see the mercenary alive and well, and to see Storm happy once again. Soon, they were in the heat of battle against Origin himself, fighting for the right to wield the Eternal Sword.

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Soon, the seal with Origin was made and everyone was relaxing before deciding what to do next. Genis walked over to Lloyd to congratulate him on the victory, but as he came up to him something strange happened

Something, it looked like an exsphere began glowing on Genis' chest before it moved away from the half-elf and flew at Lloyd. Soon, it seemed as if Lloyd was having trouble moving his own body, and Mithos appeared in front of him.

"I'll just take your body," Mithos said as he attempted to control Lloyd.

Zelos didn't know where she came from, but Storm pushed Lloyd out of the way quickly and allowed the crystal attach to her instead.

"Damn, you interfered again Storm, but this will work too," he said as he revealed Storm's wings, ready to take off with her. Zelos was horrified that she was about to go back with that insane man.

"Mithos let her go," Kratos ordered the half-elf.

"You would betray me again Kratos?" Mithos asked before he flew into the sky inside Storm's body.

"Storm!" Zelos cried out as he watched her disappear in the distance.

"Don't worry, we'll get her back," Lloyd assured everyone. "I'll make sure of that," he finished as he began to walk out of the forest with the others close behind.

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Well, that's the end of this chapter. Sorry if it sucked, but I really did try. Oh well, forgive me for being so late with my updating. Anyway, please review and tell me what you think. Thanks!


	15. Chapter 15: Those You Love

Sorry for the long wait guys but I had two major exams and a speech to prepare. So, now I'm going to update. Oh, and I did want to let everyone know that I am planning on writing another story after I am done with these two. I'm thinking that the following story will be something that some of you may not like, but I think I'm going to write it anyway. So, with that in mind let's start the chapter. Enjoy

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Chapter 15: Those You Love 

Zelos couldn't believe he had let Mithos take Storm. He had promised himself that he would never let her go back there and then he had watched as Mithos took her away from them. He sat on the ground in front of Lloyd's house and watched as the others prepared to go to Derris Kharlan.

Sure, they were going to Derris Kharlan, and Lloyd was getting the Eternal Ring now so he could wield his new sword, but would they actually be able to save her? Zelos sighed as he looked at the ground almost as if he were looking for answers in it. He didn't even notice as Sheena quietly sat down next to him.

"Zelos, what's wrong?" she asked him almost in a whisper. She had been watching the others and was apparently the only person who saw that something was wrong with the red-head. She stared at him a few moments and decided to get his attention once again when she didn't get an answer from the completely distracted Zelos.

"Zelos!" she said loudly, trying to gain his attention.

Zelos looked up with wide eyes as he finally noticed that Sheena was next to him. He had been so lost in his thoughts that he didn't even realize she was there.

"What?" he asked, still surprised by her arrival.

"I asked you what was wrong," she reminded him while waiting for his answer.

"...Nothing's wrong...I'm fine..." he lied to her, trying to hide his true feelings from the summoner.

"Oh come on. You haven't flirted with me or any of the other females in this group for a long time. Actually, not since Storm left. Is that what's bothering you?" Sheena asked, half realizing what the problem was half way through. Actually, she was surprised that Zelos might actually be worried about her. "You can tell me, I won't say anything to anyone," she assured him when she saw that he was getting uncomfortable with the whole situation.

Zelos sighed, knowing he wasn't going to be getting out of this conversation. "Fine, it is about Storm. I promised myself I wouldn't let her fall into his hands again and then she was taken away. Who knows what's happening to her right now. Here I am sitting here waiting, and she's probably going through hell up there," Zelos blurted out in a huge rush of words.

Sheena looked at him, shocked by his sudden rush of words and emotion that had been bottled up inside. She looked over at him with a small smile on her face. "She's a tough girl and she'll be all right. We want to be prepared enough so we can actually get her back, and we will. Don't worry Zelos, she'll be fine," Sheena comforted him.

"I really hope you're right..." Zelos sighed as Sheena got up to go and see the others.

Before long, Lloyd and Kratos emerged from Dirk's house ready to go and rescue Storm. Zelos stood up, ready to give everything he had and save Storm.

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When the group finally made it to Derris Kharlan, they walked along the halls until the made it to a spot that changed their entire plan. Suddenly, everyone save Kratos and Lloyd were trapped in some sort of barrier. 

"Guys, are you okay?" Lloyd asked them as he spun around, terrified at the situation.

"We're fine, but we appear to be in some sort of trap," Raine pointed out.

"I'll find a way to get you guys out of there," Lloyd said as he began to think of anything that could possibly help.

"Don't worry about us, you need to go and find Storm before it's too late. We'll be fine," Sheena almost ordered him.

_"Dammit. I'm sorry Storm I couldn't save you once again. I can only hope that Lloyd and Kratos are able to bring you back by themselves," _Zelos thought before he and the rest of the group disappeared into the glowing circle. When he did, everything went black.

Soon, Zelos opened his eyes and realized that he was standing in the air on some weird platform. He looked over and saw Sheena and Colette appear as well. He had no idea where they were or how they had gotten there, but he was ready for whatever was going to come. Suddenly, a vortex formed underneath them, and all three began to try and outrun the void. Suddenly, Seles appeared in front of Zelos, completely throwing him for a loop. He wondered how she managed to get to Derris Kharlan. He looked over and saw the same expressions on Sheena and Colette's faces and saw that Kuchinawa and Frank were standing in front of them.

"Do you want me to help you Zelos?" Zelos' sister asked him as she raised an eyebrow at him.

"Seles? What's going on?" Zelos asked the others who all looked about as confused as he did.

"Keep running Sheena, there's no escape," Kuchinawa laughed at the summoner's predicament.

"Kuchinawa...it can't be...this has to be some sort of illusion," Sheena stuttered, blwn away by the person in front of her.

"You've been raised in Mizuho for this long and you still can't tell that I'm not an illusion?" Kuchinawa questioned her.

"What a fitting end to such a pathetic Chosen," Frank told Colette as he sneered at her with a look on his face that could make someone believe that he had just smelled the most rotten stench on earth.

"What a pathetic person. You betray your friends then go crawling back for their forgiveness," Seles told Zelos coldly.

"You betrayed everyone in Slyverant who was depending on you," Frank told Colette who looked like she was about to cry.

The three were at a loss of words as Mithos appeared above them, looking happily down as his plan was being put into action.

"If you look below you, you will see a monster. If you are swallowed by that monster you will neither live nor die you will merely exist. If you join me and help me defeat Lloyd, I will spare your lives," Mithos informed them. If only the rest of the group only knew that the monster was actually just Storm, Lloyd, and Kratos.

"Like I'd help you do that," Zelos spat back at him.

"Zelos, think about it. You said that your entire life has been a joke. Isn't that why you tried to die anyway? That was a good choice on your part, you never should have been born anyway. Don't you remember your mother telling you that? Just end all the pain and join Mithos. Mithos promised to get rid of your title. He will make me the Chosen," Seles told him.

"You brought misfortune upon the people of Mizuho. If it wasn't for you my parents and many of the villagers would still be alive. Join Mithos and if you do everyone in the village, including me, will forgive you for the terrible things you did. Why even bother saving the worlds anyway? You will only cause pain to Lloyd's group, you never should have been born," Kuchinawa told Sheena angrily.

"My own daughter betrays her people. You were supposed to bring peace to the people in Sylverant, but all you did was raise their hopes only to bring them to misfortune. You weren't strong enough and couldn't sacrifice yourself and because of it everyone is suffering. I thought you would have been a better Chosen, but you should have never been born. Join Mithos and he will let you help those people again," Frank told Colette.

"I'll lose my title of the Chosen?" Zelos asked Seles, thinking it over a little bit.

"The people of Mizuho will forgive me?" Sheena asked.

"I can help the people of Sylverant?" Colette thought out loud.

Zelos was seriously considering these options when suddenly he heard an all too familiar voice break into the conversation.

"Colette, don't forget about what Mithos will really do. You know that he doesn't want to help the people of Sylverant, you'll only be helping him. You shouldn't have to sacrifice yourself. Everyone has a right to live," Lloyd's voice screamed out from what seemed to be the monster.

Zelos couldn't help but wonder if the monster had eaten Lloyd already and that he just hadn't seen it.

"Lloyd?" Colette asked.

"That's not Lloyd, the monster is just mimicking his voice," Mithos warned the three.

Zelos was a little hesitant about Mithos' explanation, but he was about to buy it. Suddenly, another voice broke through and this one was directed at him.

"Zelos, don't you dare listen to Seles, if you even want to call her Seles. You know that your sister wouldn't say something like that, you know that. Please don't forget that there is someone down here that is glad you were born. There is someone down here who would be heartbroken if you joined Mithos right now. Please, don't forget about me Zelos," Storm cried out to him.

Zelos had to admit that he was almost certain that the voice he had heard belonged to Storm. No monster could ever mimic the feelings that she expressed when she cried to him.

"Sheena, you know that your summoning skills are what got us this far. Without you we never would have been able to save anyone. You made one mistake, so did I. That doesn't mean that you never should have been born. Everyone's life has value," Lloyd called up to her.

"My life has value...?" Sheena asked quietly, almost to herself.

"No ones life has value, especially not a worthless Chosen, a traitor, and a murderer," Mithos pointed out to three.

"Shut up! They all have value because they're my friends," Lloyd said angrily to Mithos.

"Yeah, I know about feeling like I never should have been born," Storm began. "Pronyma used to tell me that all the time that she wanted me dead. I never really fit in anywhere and I betrayed my friends and family, both my families. I always felt that it would just be easier to run from all my problems and to think that I never should have been born. The day that I fought Pronyma I finally decided that I did have a right to live and I embraced it. Now, you all need to do that same and stop running," she told them all.

"You really are Storm and Lloyd," Sheena said with a sense of finality in her decision.

"Well, being friends with Lloyd is a pretty pathetic value, but hearing that my hunny, Storm, wants me makes it even more worth it," Zelos said.

"Your life will be a big joke again," Seles warned him.

"Maybe, but there is someone down there who doesn't think my life is a joke. Here I come my sexy lady," Zelos called as he let himself fall through the vortex.

Storm stood at the bottom of the vortex and shook her head while hiding her face as she heard Zelos' call before he came down.

"Looks like he beat me to it," Sheena said a little discouraged.

"You're going to run again?" Kuchinawa asked her.

"I am not running. Letting down the people of Mizuho would truly be running away," Sheena said defiantly.

"I'll raze the entire village of Mizuho," Mithos threatened her.

Sheena ignored his threat and allowed herself to be carried into the vortex. "Salvation or damnation...only one way to find out," she said as she went down.

"I guess it's just me," Colette said as she looked around.

"You're going to betray your people again?" Frank asked her.

"No, by helping Lloyd I'm going to find a way to save both worlds so no one else feels like they need to be sacraficed," Colette told him as she allowed herself to be carried away.

As the three went down the vortex they watched as the giant monster turned into Storm, Lloyd, and Kratos. They all breathed a sigh of relief, realizing that they had made the right choice. When they landed Zelos ran over to Storm and gave her a large hug.

"I'm glad that you decided to join us," Storm told him happily as she hugged him back.

"Well, it's not like I can run away from the fact that I was born. Besides, I couldn't leave my hunny to fight by herself," Zelos said.

Sheena looked over at the two and suddenly came over. "Wow, Storm must be really happy to see you Zelos, she didn't beat you for saying she was sexy or that she was your hunny," Sheena said in astonishement.

"Yeah, well, I think I'll let go," Storm said as she looked up at Zelos, "at least just this one time," she finished as they smiled at each other.

"We need to go and find the others," Colette reminded the rest of the group as they decided to hurry and find the rest of their group.

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Well, that's the end of this chapter. I hope it was okay. We're getting close to the end of this one. I don't think that I will put in them rescuing the others just because. I wanna get this one done so I can finish Forbidden Love and then move on to the next story. This whole doing two stories is really hard when I'm in college. Anyway, tell me what you thought. Thanks! 


	16. Chapter 16: The Final Battle

Yay! Time to update. I wanted to tell everyone that I have posted new links on my profile page to let you see my 2 new Tales of Symphonia amvs. Yes, this is the first time I have used animation in a video instead of a montage and I'm very excited about it. Like I said go to my profile page here and they will be posted. Anyway, time to move onto the next chapter. You will notice that I skipped some stuff, mainly because we all know from my first story what happens there and I don't have anything to change there or any other point of view I want to fit in. So, if you're really screwed up by me jumping ahead just go and catch up with the first story. Anyway, thanks for all the reviews last chapter and I hope you enjoy this one as well.

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Chapter 16: The Final Battle

After finding the rest of their friends and helping them in their time of need, including the help Storm received fighting her own inner demons, the group was off to finally face Mithos.

Zelos looked over to Storm to see how she was holding up. She looked fine on the outside, but he knew better by now than to trust her outward appearances. He walked closer to her and began to walk beside her. She was obviously deep in thought when she didn't even look at him as he walked next to her. He looked at her and then straight ahead at the others before sighing deeply. Storm looked over at him and blushed when she realized that she had been staring into space.

_"She's so cute when she blushes,"_ Zelos thought to himself as a very faint smile flashed across his face.

"So, are you nervous?" he asked her as he stared back at the group who was in front of him. Storm looked at him briefly before returning her gaze to the ground. She knew that she had to go through with this, but she didn't really want to. She knew that the Mithos she knew was gone, replaced by an evil madman that had to be stopped. Yet, she was also attacking family, someone who had been there for her when she was younger. She didn't really know what to think or how to feel about the entire situation.

"I don't know...I mean...I guess I have to do this, I know that...but at the same time it's still hard for me to kill someone like Mithos," she said, her voice full of sadness and pain.

Zelos hated to see her like that, but he knew that there wasn't much he could do to help her. He scooted himself a little closer to her, now that they were in the back of the group, everyone else's attention focused on the task at hand. He took her hand in his to give her a little reassurance. Storm seemed a little uncomfortable with the situation at first, but soon found it relaxing as she leaned her head against his shoulder and entwined their fingers as they walked. She couldn't help herself, she needed someone to be there for her to comfort her, and Zelos was the only one who could do that.

Finally, the group made their way to their final destination. They soon found themselves on a large rock floating in space. At one end of this rock was Mithos, but something wasn't normal about how he was acting.

"I'm going home...I'm going home with my sister...," Mithos began to repeat over and over again. Storm could tell something was wrong as she began to cautiously walk towards him. Zelos was hesitant to let her go at first, and when she pulled herself from him he watched her very intently.

Suddenly, Storm stopped in her tracks and began to act like she was in pain. The group watched as the Cruxis Crystal from her encounter with Mithos detached itself from her and moved back onto Mithos. He then opened his eyes and looked at the group in front of him.

"I can't tell you how much I appreciate you bringing me back to my body," Mithos laughed as he looked at Storm as she recovered from the process. Lloyd walked up behind her, ready to take on Mithos if he tried to hurt her as she recovered.

"This is the end of the line for you Mithos, we're going to reunite the two worlds," Lloyd growled as he reached for his swords.

Hmph...sure you are. And are going to help them Storm?" Mithos asked as he averted his gaze to the teen. "Did you forget everything I've done for you? Have you forgotten all about your Uncle Mithos?" he asked her, trying to sway her decision once again.

"No, Uncle Mithos is already dead and you killed him. My Uncle Mithos would never act like you do, he would never hurt me. He died when you became obsessed about the Chosen. He's already dead, and I'm going to make sure you don't hurt anyone else," Storm replied defiantly.

"So be it, you will all die!" Mithos shouted angrily as he pulled out his wings.

Lloyd was the first to rush into the battle. What he didn't plan on was Mithos teleporting behind him for a Death Eater attack. Lloyd was pushed back as Storm came up behind Mithos to attack him and spare Lloyd from a second attack. Unfortunately, Mithos saw her coming and had a spell prepared for her.

"You are a nuisance. Bloody Lance!" Mithos cried out as Storm experienced one of the worst attacks she'd ever felt as pain ran up and down her body before she was thrown backwards.

Zelos and Kratos saw that she was in trouble as they ran in to protect her. Zelos came at Mithos with his Victory Light Spear attack as Kratos helped Storm by applying some much needed First Aid. Storm managed to get up and saw as Zelos was knocked backwards by Mithos' attack.

"Hey Zelos!" she called to him. Zelos looked over in her direction. "Are you ready for our attack?" she asked him as she pulled out her sword with a smirk on her face.

"I'm always ready hunny," he said as he shot her a playboy grin. She returned this gesture with her normal eye roll.

The two ran at Mithos from different sides before they both were within the desired distance. They both pulled out their swords for their attack.

"Cross Thrust!" they both yelled as they crossed paths and attacked straight through Mithos causing him to temporarily fall to one knee.

"You'll pay for that," Mithos growled as he got back to his feet.

Storm and Zelos pulled back as Presea, Sheena, and Colette moved in for their turn. Raine and Genis continued to attack from the sidelines, allowing themselves some space from Mithos so they could execute their spells.

"I think I have a plan," Storm told the small group.

"And that would be?" Zelos asked, ready for some sort of winning idea.

"Well, Dad and I need to work our special attacks. The rest of you need to buy us time because if he sees us chanting he'll come after us. If we both cast Judgment he'll never make it," Storm explained to them.

"You can count on us," Lloyd said confidently as he and Zelos ran back towards Mithos.

Storm and Kratos both revealed their wings and took to the skies as they began their angelic incantations. Kratos soon looked over and realized that Storm was doing something completely different.

"What are you doing?" he asked her worriedly.

"Don't worry, just do your spell," Storm told him trying to finish quickly for the others.

Soon, Mithos realized what was going on, but not in time as Storm finished her spell for Indignation Judgment, placing a barrier around the half elf. Kratos followed up with his Judgment, hitting him head on. The two weren't finished as Storm's spell wrapped up, blasting the half elf with a ton of mana, bringing him down completely. The battle was finally over.

Soon, Mithos' body disappeared as his strength left him, his soul entering the Cruxis Crystal. Mithos' image soon appeared in front of the Cruxis Crystal as it hovered above the ground.

"You win, I don't want to fight anymore. Now, please destroy my Cruxis Crystal," Mithos told Lloyd in particular. Lloyd walked up to him slowly and pulled out one of his swords.

"I have no regrets," Mithos said as Lloyd came closer. "I would walk the same path again if I could, and I will continue to walk this path," he informed him.

With this, Lloyd sadly destroyed Mithos' crystal, ending his life then and there. It shattered into many pieces. Storm couldn't help but shed a small tear as she watched Mithos disappear. She soon felt Zelos behind her as he placed his hands on her shoulders. He knew exactly what she was feeling.

"You could have lived with us, in our world," Lloyd said as he stared at his sword.

"Dammit."

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Well, that's the end of this chapter. The next one will be the last for this story. Whew... Then I just have to finish the Storm and Yuan one and I can start the new story. Yay! Anyway, remember to check out the links to my 2 new videos. Thanks and don't forget to review this chapter. Thanks! 


	17. Chapter 17: Goodbyes

Okay, this is the last chapter of this story. I really did enjoy this because I am obsessive over this couple. I love it more than the Storm and Yuan pairing so I really liked retelling this story. It was fun! Anyway, thanks for the reviews and I hope you like this last chapter. Enjoy!

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Chapter 17: Goodbyes 

This was it, the worlds had actually been reunited. Somehow Lloyd had managed to pull it off and keep the worlds together and awaken the new mana tree. Zelos didn't know exactly how they managed to win, but here they were in a new time of peace. It felt so strange, to not be running from anything anymore. He was free, his title no more. He took in a deep breath of the fresh air, finally realizing just that. He could relax and live his life like he wanted to.

There was only one problem with this thought. As much as he would have loved to be happy about the whole situation, he couldn't be happy when he thought about where Storm was going. She was leaving and tomorrow was her last day on the newly formed worlds. He had wanted to live his life like he wanted to, but it would be hard without her in his life. She made him feel like he could actually be serious at times instead of always being a playboy. She let him be himself, something he had always wanted to be accepted for anyway. He didn't know what he would do without her.

She couldn't believe it. Tomorrow was her last day here on this world and she would return to her real home, Derris Kharlan. She knew she had to go back. She knew, like her father, she had to make up for everything she had done for Cruxis. She had to finish the job of cleaning up Mithos' mess. Her father hated the fact that she was going along, but she couldn't leave him alone, not after everything they had been through together. She had to go and that was it.

She had grown close to the group, but she knew that she didn't exactly fit in with them. They had spent their whole lives on this world, but she had grown up in Derris Kharlan and it was still more of a home to her than the world below could be. The only thing it was missing were two important people in her life. Her new brother Lloyd...and Zelos. She had to admit that it was going to be hard to leave both of them. If it wasn't for either of them she never would have found her lost emotions, and never would have found the strength to break away from her horrible life in Cruxis. She owed them so much more than they owed her. That was the only thing that really bothered her about her decision to leave for Derris Kharlan.

Storm was going to give Zelos one last visit. Her father had wanted to come with her, but she woudn't let him. She didn't exactly want him knowing everything about their relationship, and his whole presence could ruin the whole goodbye. He allowed her to go on her own, but told her that he would pick her up at the end of the day.

Storm couldn't help but laugh at her father's overly protective behavior when she was around Zelos, and she was sure he wasn't too thrilled about her spending the entire day with Zelos. She shrugged her shoulders and figured that he would get over it eventually as she continued towards Zelos' house.

She was in Meltokio and closing in on it quickly. She could feel her heartbeat quicken as she closed in on the house. She walked to the door, staring at it for a few seconds. She wondered if she should really be there. Did she really want to say goodbye to him? It was hard enough already without saying it to his face. She continued to look at the door as she thought things over in her mind.

Zelos watched as Storm approached the door, ready to jump to answer the door when she finally got there. When she got there he watched her through one of the windows. She stared at the door sadly, not even moving to knock on it. Zelos wondered what exactly she was thinking of. Maybe she didn't really want to visit him. Were those feelings back at the Tower of Salvation just something that happened in the heat of the moment? Did they mean anything now? Maybe he was the only one who felt so strongly about her.

Zelos then watched, horrified, as Storm turned slowly and began to walk away from the door, heading back towards the street. He froze in his spot for a moment as his heart fell to the floor and he caught a lump in his throat. He then snapped out of it when he realized that he would lose her forever if he let her get away. He couldn't bear not saying goodbye to her. He sprinted for his door and threw it open as he rushed out to her.

Storm spun around when she heard the door being thrown open from Zelos' house. She had a look of shock on her face as she watched Zelos running towards her, desperate to catch up with her. She looked at him as he finally caught up with her, panting, as he stared at her with worry written all over his face. Was he worried about her? What was he worried about?

"Zelos...?" she asked as he tried to catch his breath.

"Where were you going?" he finally managed to struggle out.

Storm could feel as a blush spread across her face. She realized that it looked horrible as she walked away. He probably thought that she hated him when it was just the opposite. She stared at him sadly as he looked to her waiting some sort of response. His heart was pounding so loud he swore she could hear it.

"I...I didn't want to say goodbye," she said softly, her face dropping to the ground.

"Why not?" he asked her as he cocked his head to get a better view of her face.

"It's...too hard," she choked out, tears forming in her eyes and her throat straining as she tried to hold them back. She had her arms and hands clutched tightly to her chest as she watched the ground waiting for a response.

Zelos didn't say anything as she continued to look at the ground. She wondered if maybe he didn't feel the same way about her as she did him. Suddenly, she felt him as he walked up to her and wrapped his arms around her. Storm's breath hitched a little as she felt herself surrounded by him. She could feel the heat of his body all around her and she felt comforted. She was surprised at his reaction nonetheless and it took a few seconds for her to finally relax and to lean into his chest. Soon she felt a him lay his chin on her shoulder as they stood together.

"Why can't we just stay like this?" Zelos finally asked Storm after what seemed like an eternity. She was still held within his embrace as she gave her answer.

"You know we can't...you know I have to leave," she reminded him sadly.

Zelos broke the embrace to look at her. "But you don't really want to leave, do you?" he asked her as he stared at her.

"I have to do this...I know I do," she told him. Zelos looked a little sadder at her answer, knowing that she had completely made up her mind.

"Will you come back?" he asked her cautiously, afraid of what her answer might be.

"I really don't know, but I hope so," she told him honestly.

"I'll wait for you," he finally told her as he grabbed her hand and looked into her eyes.

She giggled a little at his response which confused him a little. "You're crazy. You can't sit around and wait for me if you don't know if I'm coming back. I wouldn't want you to be alone forever just for me," she told him. "Besides, it's not in your nature," she added as she smiled at him.

"Catching every girl on the street isn't my style anymore. Now when I look at a girl I can only think of you and how much more amazing you are than they are. You understand people better than them, and you're a better person than them," he told her. "Besides, now that I lost my title no one will care about me here anymore anyway," he added.

Storm took her hand and placed it on his cheek as she looked at him. "Just remember that you are loved," she told him as she went up on her tiptoes towards his lips. He saw her and came down and met her half-way, their lips locking in a passionate kiss.

Once they broke apart he took her hand and led her to the house. "I think we've spent enough time outside. Besides, there is something else I want us to do today," he told her as she cocked her head at him in confusion.

Once they got inside, Zelos spun around and locked lips with her. Once again which she responded to him by wrapping her arms around his neck. She melted into him, he felt so right. His hands wandered to her hips and he brought their bodies closer to each other in another embrace. Once they parted lips, Storm put her hands to the sides of his face as they rested their foreheads on each other.

"I love you Zelos," she told him with her eyes closed and her head against his.

"I love you too," he replied before he reached down and picked her off the ground. She shrieked from surprise at his action as he carried her to his room for the rest of the day.

Before long Storm and Zelos heard the knock on the door that they were both dreading. Her father was here and she had to leave. He had no idea when she would be back, assuming that she would come back. He grabbed her hand as they walked to the door. He let go of her as he opened it to reveal Kratos, ready to get his daughter back.

"Are you ready Storm?" he asked her impatiently.

Storm looked over at Zelos sadly, knowing that this would be the end. She didn't want to say it. These were the words that had caused her to almost run away, the words that she dreaded more than anything.

"Yes. Goodbye Zelos. Please don't forget me," she said.

"Goodbye Storm. I don't think it's possible for me to forget you," he told her as he wrapped her up in another hug.

Kratos watched as the two hugged and finally, after they wouldn't let go, he grew uncomfortable with the situation. He pulled them apart and gave Storm a look only a father could give his daughter at a moment like that. She looked at him sadly as he led her away from the house.

Zelos hated it...he didn't want it to end this way. Their relationship had just began and now it was ending, not because either of them wanted it to, but because fate wanted it to. He would find her again someday, he was determined to do so.

Storm watched as Zelos slowly disappeared out of sight, tears trickling down her face as she lost the man she truly loved. She hoped they would be together again someday soon, but only time could tell.

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Well, that's it. This story is officially completed. Yay! And I think this chapter turned out better than I thought it would. Let me know what you think. Also, let me know if you would like another Storm and Zelos fic about their relationship in the second story, I might consider it if enough people want one. Anyway, please review and thanks for the reviews last chapter. 


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